Page 7 - Pharmacognosy-II (06-PG 303)

Fruits
The fruit is the mature, developed and fertilized ripened ovary or ovaries of

a flower. Its function is to protect, nourish and insure the distribution of the seed.
True fruit : the fruit is formed from the ovary of a single flower.
False fruit : the fruit is formed from other part of the flower with the ovary.
Simple fruit : It is developed from single flower with syncarpous ovary.
Aggregate fruit : It is developed from single flower with apocarpous ovary.
Composite fruit : It is developed from the whole inflorescence.

Simple fruits are divided into : Dry and Succulent.
A. Dry Fruits : in which the pericarp is dry (hard, leathery, etc.).
1- Simple, Dry, Dehiscent Fruits : These are dry formed of one or more carpels

and usually many needs. They include.
a- Legume (Pod) : It is formed from one carpel, dehiscing from both ventral
and dorsal sutures e.g. Senna.
b- Follicle : As legume but dehiscing from ventral suture only and
commonly found in groups e.g. Star anise.
c- Capsule : The fruits derived from syncarpous ovary, many seeded,
dehiscing in various ways by valves or by pores.

2- Simple, Dry, Indehiscent Fruit : These are dry one-seeded, usually become
detached and do not split or open when ripe. They include :
a- Achene : Derived from one superior carpel; its pericarp is thin and not fused
with the testa; found usually in groups, e.g. Hops. It is one seeded, one
carpel, the pericarp is free (not fused) from the testa. Achenes are usually
aggregated in groups e.g. strawberry.
b- Nut : As achene but larger and harder, e.g. Nut.

3- Simple, Dry, Schisocarpic Fruits : These are dry two to many seeded. On
ripening they split up into one-seeded indehiscent parts called mericarps.
They include :
a- Lomentum : It is a legume modified by the formation of transverse false
septa, e.g. Cassia pods.
b- Cremocarp : Formed of two carpels, it splits longitudinally into two one-
seeded indehiscent parts each part is called mericarp, as in family
Umbeliferae.
Simple, Succulent Fruit : They are indehiscent and with fleshy pericarp.
They include :

1- Berry : The pericarp is entirely fleshy, many seeded e.g. Capsicum.

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