FRUIT STRUCTURE 205 



in surface and transverse views. They usually occur 

 as masses of small, angled, porous, thick-walled cells 

 of dark color. On transverse view the thickening 

 on three sides of the cell is. apparent. 



CELL CONTENTS OF FRUITS 



The stored materials in fruits are usually contained 

 within the mesocarp parenchyma cells. Owing to 

 the great ^diversity in the characters of the different 

 fruits, the cell contents are exceedingly varied and 

 may include starch, sugars, volatile oils, alkaloids, 

 glucosides and calcium oxalate crystals. The various 

 pigments in fruits are classified as protoplasmic cell 

 contents. 



FUNCTIONS OF FRUIT TISSUES 



The functions of the different structures present 

 in fruits may be summarized as follows: 



_ f Epidermis, 



Covering tissues { Trichomes. 



Supporting tissues . 



Stone cells, 



Bast fibers (traces), 



Wood fibers (traces), 



Collenchyma. 



Absorbing tissues Stomata (rare). 



Conducting tissues Ducts. 



Assimilating and f Secretion cells, 



secreting tissues 1 Glandular hairs. 



Storage tissues Parenchyma. 



