THE FRUIT. 
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II. THE FRUIT. 
As a result of the fertilization of the ovule or ovules, 
the parts of the flower that play no further part either 
in protecting the seed or aiding in its dispersal soon 
wither and are cast off; in most flowers the petals lose 
their color and, together with the stamens, style and 
stigma, wither and fall away shortly after fertilization. 
The stigma may, however, persist, as in the poppy; 
the style may likewise remain, as in Ranunculus, or 
even continue to grow, as in Taraxacum; in other 
cases the calyx persists, as in orange and belladonna, 
or it may unite with the walls of the ovary and con- 
tinue to grow with them, becoming fleshy, as in 
pimenta and apple. The fruit may consist, therefore, 
not only of the ripened pistil, but also of other parts of 
the flower which persist or develop with it. 
The wall of the fruit is called a pericarp, and like 
the leaf, it consists of three distinct layers, viz.: (1) 
the outer layer corresponding to the outer epidermis 
of the ovary is called the epicarp or exocarp; (2) the 
inner layer corresponding to the inner epidermis of the 
ovary is called the endocarp, or, from the fact that it is 
sometimes hard and stone-like, it is sometimes called 
the putamen, as in the prune; and (3) a middle layer 
situated between the epicarp and endocarp, which is 
called the mesocarp ; and from the fact that it is some- 
times succulent or fleshy, as in the prune, it is also 
called the sarcocarp. 
There are a number of distinctive and descriptive 
names applied to fruits. Some of the more important 
are the following: 
An Achene is a non-fleshy, or so-called dry, one-celled 
and one-seeded, indehiscent fruit, in which the pericarp 
is more or less firm, and while not united with the 
seed, the latter almost completely fills the cavity formed 
