Fruits and Seeds
Fruits and seeds form after fertilisation: the ovary ripens into the fruit and the ovules develop into seeds. This page explains the pericarp and its three layers, parthenocarpic fruits and the drupe (mango and coconut). It also describes dicot and monocot seeds, including the aleurone layer, scutellum, coleoptile and coleorhiza, as in NCERT Class 11. NEET often asks the parts of fruits and seeds as labelled-figure and match-the-list questions.
- ★ Must learn The fruit is a mature or ripened ovary developed after fertilisation.
- A fruit formed without fertilisation of the ovary is parthenocarpic.
- A fruit has a wall, the pericarp, and seeds; a fleshy pericarp has epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp.
- ★ Must learn Drupe: from a monocarpellary superior ovary, one-seeded: mango (fleshy edible mesocarp), coconut (fibrous mesocarp).
- A seed is the fertilised ovule: a seed coat and an embryo.
- ★ Must learn Dicot seed coat: outer testa, inner tegmen; hilum is a scar, micropyle a pore above it.
- Endospermic seed: castor. Non-endospermous seeds: bean, gram, pea.
- ★ Must learn Maize seed: aleurone layer, endosperm, scutellum (cotyledon), coleoptile over the plumule, coleorhiza over the radicle.
- Monocot seeds are generally endospermic; orchids are an exception (non-endospermic).
1. The Fruit
- The fruit is a characteristic feature of flowering plants.
- ★ Exam imp Fruit: a mature or ripened ovary, developed after fertilisation.
- Parthenocarpic fruit: a fruit formed without fertilisation of the ovary.
- Generally, the fruit consists of a wall, the pericarp, and seeds.
- The pericarp may be dry or fleshy.
- A thick, fleshy pericarp is differentiated into three layers:
- Epicarp: the outer layer.
- Mesocarp: the middle layer.
- Endocarp: the inner layer.
Pericarp from outside in: "Every Mango Eaten" = Epicarp, Mesocarp, Endocarp. Epi = upon (outer), meso = middle, endo = within (inner).
1.1 Drupe: mango and coconut
- ★ Exam imp In mango and coconut, the fruit is a drupe.
- Drupes develop from monocarpellary superior ovaries and are one-seeded.
- Mango: a thin epicarp, a fleshy, edible mesocarp and a stony, hard endocarp.
- Coconut, also a drupe, has a fibrous mesocarp.
| Layer | Mango | Coconut |
|---|---|---|
| Epicarp | Thin, outer skin | Outer layer |
| Mesocarp | Fleshy and edible | Fibrous |
| Endocarp | Stony and hard | Inner layer |
| Seeds | One | One |
★ Very important A drupe develops from a monocarpellary superior ovary and is one-seeded. The edible part of mango is the mesocarp; the mesocarp of coconut is fibrous.
2. The Seed
- The ovules, after fertilisation, develop into seeds.
- A seed is made up of a seed coat and an embryo.
- The embryo is made up of a radicle, an embryonal axis and one or two cotyledons.
- ★ Exam imp One cotyledon: wheat, maize. Two cotyledons: gram, pea.
- Seeds vary in shape, size and period of viability (how long they stay able to germinate).
3. Structure of a Dicotyledonous Seed
- The outermost covering of the seed is the seed coat.
- ★ Exam imp The seed coat has two layers: the outer testa and the inner tegmen.
- Hilum: a scar on the seed coat through which the developing seed was attached to the fruit.
- Micropyle: a small pore above the hilum.
- Within the seed coat is the embryo: an embryonal axis and two cotyledons.
- The cotyledons are often fleshy and full of reserve food materials.
- The radicle and the plumule lie at the two ends of the embryonal axis.
3.1 Endospermic and non-endospermous seeds
- Endosperm: a food-storing tissue formed as a result of double fertilisation.
- ★ Exam imp Seeds that keep the endosperm are endospermic, as in castor.
- In bean, gram and pea, the endosperm is not present in mature seeds; such seeds are non-endospermous.
Seed coat layers: Testa on Top, Tegmen Tucked in (outer testa, inner tegmen). Micropyle = Mini pore, just above the hilum scar.
Castor Keeps its endosperm; Bean, Gram and Pea do not. In "B-G-P" seeds, the fleshy cotyledons store the food instead.
What are the two layers of the seed coat?
Name a dicot with endospermic seeds.
What is a parthenocarpic fruit?
4. Structure of a Monocotyledonous Seed
- Monocotyledonous seeds are generally endospermic.
- Some, as in orchids, are non-endospermic.
- In cereals such as maize, the seed coat is membranous and generally fused with the fruit wall.
- The endosperm is bulky and stores food.
- ★ Exam imp The outer covering of the endosperm is a proteinous layer, the aleurone layer; it separates the endosperm from the embryo.
- The embryo is small and lies in a groove at one end of the endosperm.
- It has one large, shield-shaped cotyledon, the scutellum.
- It has a short axis with a plumule and a radicle.
- ★ Exam imp The plumule and radicle are enclosed in sheaths: the coleoptile and the coleorhiza, respectively.
| Feature | Dicot seed (gram, pea, bean) | Monocot seed (maize) |
|---|---|---|
| Seed coat | Testa and tegmen; hilum, micropyle | Membranous, fused with the fruit wall |
| Cotyledons | Two, fleshy, store food | One, shield-shaped scutellum |
| Endosperm | Absent in mature bean, gram, pea; present in castor | Bulky, stores food; aleurone layer outside |
| Plumule and radicle | At the two ends of the embryonal axis | Covered by coleoptile and coleorhiza |
★ Very important Coleoptile covers the plumule; coleorhiza covers the radicle. The scutellum is the single cotyledon of the maize embryo.
coleo-P-tile covers the P-lumule; coleo-R-hiza covers the R-adicle. Match the first letter after "coleo" with the part it covers.
- The aleurone layer is proteinous and lies outside the endosperm.
- In maize, the seed coat is membranous and generally fused with the fruit wall.
- Orchids are monocots with non-endospermic seeds; castor is a dicot with endospermic seeds.
Labelling a maize section: the big food store is the endosperm, and the thin layer just inside the coat is the aleurone layer. The shield beside the embryo is the scutellum. The upper sheath is the coleoptile and the lower sheath is the coleorhiza.
5. Exam Essentials
Pairs to Match
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| Fruit | Ripened ovary |
| Seed | Fertilised ovule |
| Parthenocarpic fruit | Formed without fertilisation |
| Mango mesocarp | Fleshy and edible |
| Coconut mesocarp | Fibrous |
| Mango endocarp | Stony and hard |
| Testa | Outer layer of the seed coat |
| Tegmen | Inner layer of the seed coat |
| Hilum | Scar where the seed was attached to the fruit |
| Micropyle | Small pore above the hilum |
| Castor | Endospermic seed |
| Orchids | Non-endospermic monocot seeds |
| Aleurone layer | Proteinous outer covering of the endosperm |
| Scutellum | Shield-shaped cotyledon of maize |
| Coleorhiza | Sheath of the radicle |
Numbers to Remember
- 3 layers of a fleshy pericarp: epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp.
- Drupe: 1 carpel (monocarpellary) and 1 seed.
- Seed coat of a dicot: 2 layers (testa, tegmen).
- Cotyledons: 1 in wheat and maize; 2 in gram and pea.
Examples to Remember
| Feature | Examples |
|---|---|
| Drupe | Mango, coconut |
| One cotyledon | Wheat, maize |
| Two cotyledons | Gram, pea |
| Endospermic seed | Castor (dicot); maize and most monocots |
| Non-endospermous seed | Bean, gram, pea; orchids (monocot) |
- A parthenocarpic fruit forms without fertilisation.
- Coconut is a drupe, but its mesocarp is fibrous, not fleshy.
- Most monocot seeds are endospermic, except orchids.
- Castor is a dicot, yet its seed is endospermic.
- In maize, the seed coat is not separate: it is fused with the fruit wall.
Which part of the mango is eaten?
What is the micropyle?
Name the sheath that encloses the plumule of maize.
What is the scutellum?
Name the part marked as the protein layer below the seed coat in a maize section.
6. Quick Revision
- Fruit: characteristic feature of flowering plants; ripened ovary after fertilisation.
- Parthenocarpic fruit: formed without fertilisation.
- Fruit = pericarp + seeds; pericarp dry or fleshy.
- Fleshy pericarp: epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp.
- Drupe: monocarpellary, superior ovary, one-seeded; mango, coconut.
- Mango: thin epicarp, edible fleshy mesocarp, stony endocarp. Coconut: fibrous mesocarp.
- Seed: fertilised ovule = seed coat + embryo.
- Embryo: radicle, embryonal axis, one (wheat, maize) or two (gram, pea) cotyledons.
- Dicot seed coat: testa (outer), tegmen (inner); hilum, micropyle.
- Endospermic: castor. Non-endospermous: bean, gram, pea.
- Monocot seeds generally endospermic; orchids non-endospermic.
- Maize: membranous seed coat fused with fruit wall; aleurone layer; bulky endosperm.
- Scutellum: shield-shaped cotyledon. Coleoptile: plumule sheath. Coleorhiza: radicle sheath.
- Seeds vary in shape, size and period of viability.
7. Solved Examples
List I: A. Scutellum; B. Coleoptile; C. Coleorhiza; D. Aleurone layer
List II: I. Sheath of the radicle; II. Proteinous layer around the endosperm; III. Shield-shaped cotyledon; IV. Sheath of the plumule
Choose the correct answer.
(A) A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II
(B) A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II
(C) A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III
(D) A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I
Answer: (B). Scutellum: cotyledon; coleoptile: plumule sheath; coleorhiza: radicle sheath; aleurone: proteinous layer of the endosperm.
A. Mesocarp; B. Seed; C. Epicarp; D. Endocarp
Choose the correct order.
(A) C, A, D, B
(B) C, D, A, B
(C) A, C, D, B
(D) C, A, B, D
Answer: (A). Thin epicarp, then fleshy mesocarp, then stony endocarp, which encloses the seed.
A. A drupe develops from a monocarpellary superior ovary.
B. Coconut has a fleshy, edible mesocarp.
C. The hilum is a small pore above the micropyle.
D. Castor seeds are endospermic.
E. Orchid seeds are non-endospermic.
Choose the correct answer.
(A) A, B and C only
(B) B, C and D only
(C) A, D and E only
(D) A, C and E only
Answer: (C). B is false: the mesocarp of coconut is fibrous. C is false: the hilum is a scar, and the micropyle is the pore above it. A, D and E are true.
(A) Bean
(B) Gram
(C) Pea
(D) Castor
Answer: (D). Castor keeps its endosperm, so it is endospermic.
Statement II: After fertilisation, the ovules develop into fruits.
Choose the correct answer.
(A) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
(B) Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
(C) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
(D) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
Answer: (C). Ovules develop into seeds; the ovary matures into the fruit.
8. Practice Questions
- List the labels you would show in a labelled diagram of (i) a gram seed and (ii) a vertical section of a maize seed.Answer: (i) Gram seed: seed coat (testa, tegmen), hilum, micropyle, cotyledons, plumule, radicle. (ii) Maize: seed coat and fruit wall, aleurone layer, endosperm, embryo, scutellum, coleoptile, plumule, radicle, coleorhiza.
- The edible part of mango is the
(a) epicarp
(b) mesocarp
(c) endocarp
(d) seedAnswer: (b) Mesocarp, which is fleshy. - Match List I with List II. List I: A. Testa; B. Hilum; C. Micropyle; D. Tegmen. List II: I. Inner seed coat; II. Pore above the hilum; III. Outer seed coat; IV. Scar of attachment to the fruit.
(1) A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I
(2) A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I
(3) A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I
(4) A-I, B-IV, C-II, D-IIIAnswer: (1). Testa outer, tegmen inner; hilum is the scar; micropyle the pore above it. - Read the statements. A. In maize, the seed coat is membranous. B. The embryo of maize lies in a groove at one end of the endosperm. C. The scutellum covers the radicle. D. Seeds vary in their period of viability.
(1) A, B and D only
(2) A, B and C only
(3) B and C only
(4) A, C and D onlyAnswer: (1). C is false: the coleorhiza covers the radicle; the scutellum is the cotyledon. - Which pair is NOT correctly matched?
(a) Mango: drupe
(b) Coconut: fibrous mesocarp
(c) Pea: one cotyledon
(d) Maize: endospermic seedAnswer: (c). Pea has two cotyledons. - Statement I: The endosperm is formed as a result of double fertilisation. Statement II: Mature seeds of bean have a large endosperm.
(1) Both correct
(2) Both incorrect
(3) I correct, II incorrect
(4) I incorrect, II correctAnswer: (3). Bean seeds are non-endospermous. - Why is coconut called a drupe even though it differs from mango?Answer: Both develop from a monocarpellary superior ovary and are one-seeded with a three-layered pericarp. Coconut differs only in having a fibrous mesocarp.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing that the ovule becomes the fruit. The ovary becomes the fruit; ovules become seeds.
- Calling the epicarp the edible part of mango. The edible part is the fleshy mesocarp.
- Saying coconut has a fleshy mesocarp. Its mesocarp is fibrous.
- Swapping hilum and micropyle: the hilum is a scar; the micropyle is a pore above it.
- Swapping coleoptile and coleorhiza: coleoptile covers the plumule; coleorhiza covers the radicle.
- Calling all monocot seeds endospermic. Orchids are non-endospermic.
- Calling castor non-endospermous. Castor seeds are endospermic.
- Treating the scutellum as a separate food layer. It is the single cotyledon of the embryo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fruit and what is a parthenocarpic fruit?
A fruit is a mature or ripened ovary that develops after fertilisation. It consists of a wall, the pericarp, and seeds. A fruit that forms without fertilisation of the ovary is called a parthenocarpic fruit.
What are the layers of the pericarp?
When the pericarp is thick and fleshy, it is differentiated into the outer epicarp, the middle mesocarp and the inner endocarp. In mango, these are a thin skin, a fleshy edible layer and a stony, hard layer around the seed.
Why are mango and coconut called drupes?
Both develop from monocarpellary superior ovaries and are one-seeded, with a pericarp of epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp. Mango has a fleshy, edible mesocarp and a stony endocarp; coconut has a fibrous mesocarp.
What is the difference between the hilum and the micropyle?
The hilum is a scar on the seed coat through which the developing seed was attached to the fruit. The micropyle is a small pore located above the hilum. Both are seen on the seed coat of a dicot seed such as gram or bean.
What are endospermic and non-endospermous seeds?
Endospermic seeds keep the endosperm, a food-storing tissue formed by double fertilisation, as in castor and most monocots such as maize. Non-endospermous seeds lack endosperm when mature, as in bean, gram and pea, where the cotyledons store the food.
What are the scutellum, coleoptile and coleorhiza?
In a monocot seed such as maize, the scutellum is the single large, shield-shaped cotyledon. The coleoptile is the sheath that encloses the plumule, and the coleorhiza is the sheath that encloses the radicle.
What is the aleurone layer?
The aleurone layer is the proteinous outer covering of the endosperm in cereal seeds such as maize. It lies just inside the membranous seed coat, which is fused with the fruit wall, and separates the endosperm from the embryo.
Which seed parts are most asked in NEET?
NEET often asks the labels of the maize seed, especially the scutellum, aleurone layer, coleoptile and coleorhiza, and the dicot seed parts testa, tegmen, hilum and micropyle. Examples of endospermic and non-endospermous seeds and drupes are also common.
Previous year questions on Fruits and Seeds
7 questions from past papers, each with a step-by-step solution.
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