Classification of Fruits

1. Development of Fruit and Fruit Types
• After fertilization, the ovary of the flower usually
develops into the fruit.
• The term “fruit” is used for a ripened ovary.
• In most cases, flowers in which fertilization has
taken place will develop into fruits, while
unfertilized flowers will not.
• The fruit encloses the seeds and the developing
embryo, thereby providing it with protection.
• As the fruit matures, the seeds also mature.

2. • Fruits generally have three parts:
• The exocarp (the outermost skin or covering),
• The mesocarp (middle part of the fruit), and
• The endocarp (the inner part of the fruit).
• Together, all three are known as the pericarp.
• The mesocarp is usually the fleshy, edible part of
the fruit; however, in some fruits, such as the
almond, the seed is the edible part.
• Furthermore, fruits can be divided into dehiscent or
indehiscent types.
• Dehiscent fruits, such as peas, readily release their
seeds, while indehiscent fruits, like peaches, rely
on decay to release their seeds.

4. Types of fruit:
• There are four main types of fruits:
• Simple fruits: If the fruit develops from a single carpel
or fused carpels of a single ovary, it is known as a
simple fruit, as seen in nuts and beans
• Aggregate fruits, is one that develops from numerous
carpels that are all in the same flower; the mature
carpels fuse together to form the entire fruit, as seen in
the raspberry.
• Multiple fruits: A multiple fruit develops from an
inflorescence or a cluster of flowers. An example is the
pineapple where the flowers fuse together to form the
fruit..
• Accessory fruits (sometimes called false fruits) are not
derived from the ovary, but from another part of the
flower, such as the receptacle (strawberry) or the
hypanthium (apples and pears).

10. Aggregate fruit

11. Accessory fruit

13. Name of
Fruit
Edible Part Classificati
on of Fruit
Fruit Type Flowering
Time
Inflorescenc
e
Ovary
Position
1.Mango Mesocrap Simple Drupe Feb-March Raceme Hypogynous
2.Papaya Endocarp Simple Berry January Cymose Epigynous
3.Guava Pericarp Simple Berry June Cymose Epigynous
4.Avocado Mesocarp Simple Berry April Raceme Hypogynous
5.Citrus Endocarp
(Juicy sac)
Simple Hesperidium May Cyme Hypogynous
6.Banana Mesocarp,
Endocarp and
Placenta
Simple Berry July Spadix Epigynous
7.Litchi Fleshy Aril Simple Nut Feb. Cyme Epigynous
8.Pineapple Perianth Multiple Sorosis April-May Spike Epigynous
9.Grape Pericap +
Placenta
Simple Berry Feb-March Corymb Epigynous
10.Pear Thalamus Accessory Pome Feb-March Raceme Perigynous
11.Apricot Epicarp and
Mesocarp
Simple Nut Feb-March - Perigynous
12.Almond Epicarp and
Mesocarp
Simple Nut Feb-March - Hypogynous

17. 13.Walnut Endocarp Simple Nut Feb-
March
- Perigynous
14.Peach Epicarp and
Mesocarp
Simple Drupe Feb-
March
Corymb Perigynous
15.Plum Epicarp and
Mesocarp
Simple Drupe Feb-
March
Fascida Perigynous
16.Cherry - - - Feb-
March
Fascida Perigynous
17.Apple Fleshy
Thalamus
Acessory Pome Feb-
March
Corymb Hypogynous
18.Pome
grante
Outercoat and
Seed
Simple Berry - - -
19.Cashew
nut
Cotyledon
and Peduncle
Simple Nut - - -
20.Coconut Endocarp Simple Nut - - -
21.Custard
apple
Pericarp Aggregate Eterio of
Berry
- - -
22.Figs Recepticle Multiple Syconus - - -
23.Chestnut Seed Simple Nut - - -

18. Classification of fruits
Fruits
 Fruits are the plants from which more or less succulent fruits
or closely related structure is eaten as a desert or snack. Fruit
plants are usually perennial and often woody.
1. Temperate fruits:
a. Tree fruits: the fruits borne on perennial trees.
i. Pomes: Fleshy fruits in which the inner portion of the pericarp
forms dry papery like core. Examples: apple, pear, quince etc.
ii. Drupes/Stones: simple fleshy fruits having a stony endocarp.
Examples peach, plums, apricot, peach, etc.
iii. Nuts: The fruits borne on trees and are characterized by a
hard shell that encloses the inner kernel which is the edible part
of a fruit called nut. Examples: Walnut, almond, etc.
b. small fruits:
• Fruits borne on small or low growing plants such as vines,
shrubs, herbs etc. Examples: grapes, strawberry, etc

22. 2. Tropical and sub tropical fruits:
i. Herbaceous perennials:
Fruits borne on perennial herbaceous plants of
tropical and sub tropical region. Examples: banana,
pine apple, papaya etc.
ii. Tree fruits:
• Citrus fruits and all other tropical and subtropical
fruits. Examples: oranges, mango, litchi guava
iii. Nuts: all the tropical and subtropical nuts.
Examples: cashewnut, macadamia nut etc.