5.6 THE FRUIT

5.6 THE FRUIT

It is a characteristic feature of the flowering plants. 

It is a mature or ripened ovary developed after fertilisation.  

If a fruit is formed without fertilisation of the ovary, it is called a parthenocarpic fruit. These lack seeds or have no viable seeds. These are produced naturally or artificially. It is common for the horticultural varieties of banana, pineapple, cucumber, tomatoes, figs, oranges, grapes, kiwi, blackberry, pepper, etc.

Generally, the fruit consists of a wall or pericarp and seeds. 

The pericarp may be dry or fleshy. 

When pericarp is thick and fleshy, it is differentiated into the outer epicarp, the middle mesocarp and the inner endocarp. 

In mango and coconut, the fruit is known as a drupe (Figure 5.13). A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed (like a peach or olive). The word 'drupe' comes from the word drupa meaning overripe olive. They develop from monocarpellary superior ovaries (one carpel with the floral parts arrranged on the thalamus below the ovary) and are one seeded. 

In mango the pericarp is well differentiated into an outer thin epicarp, a middle fleshy edible mesocarp and an inner stony hard endocarp with seed inside. 

In coconut, outer thin hard epicarp, a middle fibrous mesocarp and an inner stony hard endocarp with edible seed inside.