Fruit Structure and Pericarp Layers — NEET Biology
📚 Practice ConceptGenerally, 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.
Which of the following statements about the fruit are correct? S1: The pericarp of a fruit, which is the fruit wall, can be either dry or fleshy. S2: If a fruit develops without fertilisation of the ovary, it is termed a parthenocarpic fruit and usually lacks viable seeds. S3: Ovules consistently mature into seeds, and this process is essential for the formation of all types of fruits, including parthenocarpic ones. S4: In drupes like mango, the mesocarp is fleshy and edible, while in coconut, the mesocarp is fibrous. S5: The epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp are always distinctly differentiated in all fruits, regardless of whether the pericarp is dry or fleshy.
View solution & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: A — S1, S2 and S4 are correct
The question asks to identify the correct statements about the fruit based on NCERT. S1: Generally, the fruit consists of a wall or pericarp and seeds. The pericarp may be dry or fleshy. This statement is correct. S2: If a fruit is formed without fertilisation of the ovary, it is called a parthenocarpic fruit. Such fruits are typically seedless. This statement is correct. S3: The ovules after fertilisation, develop into seeds. In parthenocarpic fruits, fertilisation does not occur, so ovules do not develop into seeds, resulting in seedless fruits. Therefore, ovules do not consistently mature into seeds for all fruit types. This statement is NOT correct. S4: In mango and coconut, the fruit is known as a drupe. In mango the pericarp is well differentiated into an outer thin epicarp, a middle fleshy edible mesocarp and an inner stony hard endocarp. In coconut which is also a drupe, the mesocarp is fibrous. This statement is correct. S5: When pericarp is thick and fleshy, it is differentiated into the outer epicarp, the middle mesocarp and the inner endocarp. Dry pericarps are not typically differentiated into these layers. The statement incorrectly uses 'always distinctly differentiated in all fruits'. This statement is NOT correct. Therefore, statements S1, S2, and S4 are correct. The final answer is A.
What does NCERT say about Generally fruit consists wall?
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