 Matured and ripened
ovaries.
 Holds and protects the
seeds until they mature.
 Helps in the dissemination
or dispersal of the seeds.
 Does not only apply to
those that have edible
portions, but also to those
which are commonly
referred to as vegetable.
Part of a Fruit
Exocarp
Outermost layer
of the fruit wall
Endocarp
Innermost layer
Mesocarp
Middle layer
Classification of Fruits
As to the composition or number of flowers
involved in their formation
1. Simple Fruits
 develops from one ovary
2. Aggregate Fruit
 develops from several ovaries of a single flower
3. Collective or Multiple Fruit
 derived from several ovaries
of several flowers or from
the ovaries of a compact
inflorescence.
As to structure, consistency & dehiscence
(includes the state of the pericarp in the ripened fruit)
1. Fleshy
 when the pericarp is soft, juicy (or pulpy) or succulent
2. Dry
 when the pericarp is dry or papery upon maturity
Dichotomous Key
1 Simple Fruits
2 Fleshy Fruits
3 Fleshy part derived from the ovary
4 Entire ovary fleshy, enclosing several seeds .….. berry
5 Leathery rind …………………………………… hespiridium
5 Hard rind ……………………………………….. pepo
4 Outer part of ovary fleshy, inner part stony
usually enclosing one seed ………………………. drupe
6 Mesocarp fleshy ………………………………. fleshy drupe
6 Mesocarp fibrous ……………………………… fibrous drupe
3 Fleshy part derived mainly from the torus ………….. pome
Simple-Fleshy-Berry-Hespiridium
Derived from a fleshy ovary enclosing several
seeds. Has thick leathery skin containing oil.
Kalamansi (Citrus microcarpa)
Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata)
peel/exocarp
flavedo/epicarp
albedo/mesocarp
endocarp
seed
carpels sections with
fluid-filled sacs called
vesicles
septum
Hespiridium Anatomy
Simple-Fleshy-Berry-Pepo
Derived from a fleshy ovary enclosing many seeds.
Pepo has hard, thick rind.
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Water melon (Citrullus lanatus)
Pepo Anatomy
Simple-Fleshy-Drupe-Fleshy
Fleshy mesocarp and ovary. Seed enclosed within
a stony endocarp (pit).
Peach (Prunus persica)
Mango (Mangifera Indica)
Fleshy Drupe Anatomy
endocarp
endocarp
seed
seed
Simple-Fleshy-Drupe-Fibrous
Fibrous mesocarp and fleshy ovary. Seed
enclosed within a stony endocarp (pit)
Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
Fibrous Drupe Anatomy
Simple-Fleshy-Pome
Fleshy part derived mainly from torus. Ovary
surrounded by fleshy hypanthium.
Apple (Malus domestica)
Pears (Pyrus sp.)
Pome Anatomy
2 Dry Fruits
7 Dehiscent
8 Fruit derived from one carpel
9 Splitting along 1 seam (1 suture) .……..……… follicle
9 Splitting along 2 seams (2 sutures) ...…..…….. legume/pod
8 Fruit derived from 2 or more carpel
10 Carpels 2, persistent partition wall
after splitting …..………………………………… silique
10 Carpels 2 or more, splitting in one
of four different ways …………………………… capsule
11 Splitting along the locule ……….………….. loculicidal
11 Splitting along the septa …………………… septicidal
11 Splitting along the terminal pore ………….. poricidal
11 Splitting along a circular horizontal line ….. circumscissile
Simple-Dry-Dehiscent-Follicle
Dry fruit derived from one carpel splitting along
one seam
Kalachuchi (Plumeria rubra)
Star anise (Illicium verum)
Simple-Dry-Dehiscent-Legume/Pod
Dry fruit derived from one carpel splitting along
two seam
Chicharo (Pisum sativum)
Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea)
Simple-Dry-Dehiscent-Silique
Dry fruit derived from two or more carpel with
persistent partition wall after splitting
Narrowleaf bittercress
(Cardamine impatiens)
Bluepod Rockcress
(Boechera glaucovalvula)
Simple-Dry-Dehiscent-Capsule
Derived from two or more carpel splitting in one
or four ways
Loculicidal
Septicidal
(Splitting along the locule)
(Splitting along the septum)
Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)
Calico Flower (Aristolochia littoralis)
Simple-Dry-Dehiscent-Capsule
Poricidal
Circumscissile
(Splitting along the terminal pore)
(Splitting along a circular horizontal line)
Opium (Papaver somniferum)
Twinberry (Menodora scabra)
7 Indehiscent Fruits
12 Seed inseparable from the fruit wall …………………… grain/caryopsis
12 Seed separable from the fruit wall
13 Fruit with wings ……………………………………….. samara/key
13 Fruit without wings
14 Fruit wall very hard, one seeded ….……………. nut
14 Fruit wall thin, one seed attached
to ovary wall at one point ………………………… achene
12 Seeds not coming out of fruit although united
carpels split apart at maturity .…………………………… schizocarp
Simple-Dry-Indehiscent-Grain/Caryopsis
Seed inseparable from the fruit wall.
Rice (Oriza sativa)
Corn (Zea mays)
Rice Grain Anatomy
Corn Kernel Anatomy
Simple-Dry-Indehiscent-Samara/Key
Seed separable from the fruit wall.
Fruit with wings
Mahogany (Shorea negrosensis)
Narra (Pterocarpus indicus)
Simple-Dry-Indehiscent-Nut
Fruit without wings and with very hard fruit wall.
Has only one seed.
Pili nut
(Canarium ovatum)
Cashew nut
(Anacardium occidentale)
Simple-Dry-Indehiscent-Achene
Seed without wings and with thin fruit wall. One
seed attached to ovary wall at one point.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Strawberry (Fragaria sp.)
Simple-Dry-Indehiscent-Schizocarp
Seed not coming out of fruit although united
carpels split apart at maturity
Little mallow (Malva parviflora)
Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
1 Compound Fruits
15 Fruits from several ovaries of one flower massed
on a common receptacle .……………………………….... aggregate
15 Fruit from several ovaries of several flowers
of compact inflorescence …………………………………. collective/multiple
Compound-Aggregate
Many ovaries derived from a single flower
Strawberry (Fragaria sp.)
Compound-Multiple/Collective
From several ovaries of several flowers of a
compact inflorescence
Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Seed Dispersal
Plants often solicit the aid of animals, as well as abiotic
forces such as wind, to accomplish both of these.
 insects — insects much less important for dispersal than
pollination, but ants often involved in dispersal
 birds, mammals, reptiles, and even fish — much more
important for dispersal than pollination
 wind — important in both pollination and dispersal
 water — minor importance in pollination, somewhat greater
in dispersal
 self dispersal — just like some plants carry out self pollination,
some plants have mechanisms for self dispersal.
Why is dispersal important?
 Avoid competition with parent and siblings
 Colonize new habitats
 Avoid pathogens and predators
 Minimize inbreeding
Methods of dispersal are often tied to
certain habitats
 Wind — prairie/grasslands, mountains, forest trees,
weedy areas
 External attachment to animals — forest plants relatively
low to ground
 Ingestion by animals — forest plants
 Water — plants that grow in wetlands and along streams
 Ballistic — various; some parasitic plants, some forest
plants, some weedy plants