University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.

1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory

Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Shara B. Serrano BOT 111.1 JK

EXERCISE 8
THE FRUIT

INTRODUCTION
According to Britannica (2022), a fruit is the fleshy or dry matured ovary of a flowering
plant that contains the seed or seeds. As it is the topic for this exercise, it is extensive to learn both
the interior and exterior qualities that define diverse fruits through detailed observation, dissection,
and microscopic analysis. In this exercise, we will learn about the various adaptations and
reproductive techniques of different fruit species by analyzing the seeds, peel, flesh, and
others. This will allow us to comprehend the extraordinary diversity of fruits and their critical
significance in the life cycle of plants. We seek to get an improved grasp of fruit anatomy and its
importance in human nutrition, agriculture, and biodiversity protection through this activity.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this activity are for the students to characterize the different types of fruits, be
able to identify the parts of a fruit, and determine the floral origin of the various structures of a
fruit. Lastly, is for the students to describe the purpose of a fruit and its importance in seed
dispersal.

PROCEDURE
The students brought fresh fruit specimens that they were able to find, while those that
weren’t brought was just searched on the internet to be observed. The following specimens were:
Part A

Vigna sesquipedalis (Yard long bean) Lablab purpurea (Bataw)

Psidium guajava (Guava) Anona squamosa (Atis)

Fragaria × ananassa (Strawberry) Ananas comosus (Pinya)

Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) Cucurbita moschata (Kalabasa)

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Citrus microcarpa (Kalamansi) Citrus grandis (Pomelo)

Mangifera indica (Mango) Spondias purpurea (Sinigwelas)

Malus pumila (Apple) Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra)

Ricinus communis (Castor bean) Bixa orellana (Atsuwete)

Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Cosmos sp.

Oryza sativa (Rice) Zea mays (Corn)

Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)

Part B

Pisum sativum (Pea) Lablab purpurea (Bataw)

Phaseolus lunatus (Patani)

These specimens were then observed to discover what type of fruit they are, and also in
terms of whether they are: dehiscent/indehiscent, dry/fleshy, type of placentation, and what their
edible part/s is/are. For the specimens in part B, they were observed using and lens, and were
dissected for further observation.

DATA, RESULTS, AND DISCUSSION

A. Fruit Morphology
Table 2. Fruit variation of specimens
Specimen Dehiscent or Dry or Specific Type Type of Edible

Indehisccent Fleshy of Fruit Placentation Part

Vigna Dehiscent Dry Legume Marginal Green pods

sesquipedalis

(Yard long bean)

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Psidium guajava Indehiscent Fleshy Berry Parietal Pericarp

(Guava)
Fragaria × Indehiscent Fleshy Aggregate of Axile Thalamus
ananassa Achene
(Strawberry)

Cucumis sativus Indehiscent Fleshy Pepo Parietal Pericarp

(Cucumber)

Citrus microcarpa Indehiscent Fleshy Hesperidium Axile Pulp and

(Kalamansi) Flavedo

Mangifera indica Indehiscent Fleshy Drupe Parietal Mesocarp

(Mango)

Malus pumila Indehiscent Fleshy Pome Axile Hypanthium

(Apple)

Ricinus communis Dehiscent Dry Capsule Axile None

(Castor bean)

Helianthus annuus Indehiscent Dry Achene Basal Seeds

(Sunflower)

Oryza sativa Indehiscent Dry Caryopsis/Grain Basal Endosperm

(Rice) or Embryo

Cocos nucifera Indehiscent Dry Drupe Parietal Endosperm

(Coconut)

Lablab purpurea Dehiscent Dry Legume Marginal Pod or

(Bataw) seeds

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Anona squamosa Indehiscent Fleshy Aggregate of Axile Mesocarp

(Atis) Berries

Ananas comosus Indehiscent Fleshy Multiple Fruit Axile Perianth

(Pinya)

Cucurbita Indehiscent Fleshy Pepo Parietal Pericarp

moschata

(Kalabasa)

Citrus grandis Indehiscent Fleshy Hespiridium Axile Pulp or

(Pomelo) Albedo

Spondias purpurea Indehiscent Fleshy Drupe Axile Epicarp and

(Sinigwelas) Mesocarp

Abelmoschus Dehiscent Dry Capsule Axile Pods

esculentus (Okra)

Bixa orellana Dehiscent Dry Legume Marginal Seeds

(Atsuwete)

Cosmos sp. Indehiscent Dry Achenes Basal Blooms or

Flower
Zea mays (Corn) Indehiscent Dry Caryopsis/Grain Parietal Kernels

Solanum Indehiscent Fleshy Berry Axile Pericarp

lycopersicum
(Tomato)

Table 2 shows the variation of the specimens in this exercise. A dehiscent fruit’s pericarp
explodes at maturity and releases the seeds, and indehiscent when the pericarp doesn't split open.
Fleshy fruit and dry fruit can be determined, based on the name itself. A fleshy fruit has a soft

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

pericarp with three layers (epicarp, mesocarp, & endocarp), while a dry fruit doesn’t have any
layers, and has a hard pericarp. A legume, also known as pod, is a kind of dehiscent fruit that split
open along two seams to release their seeds. A berry is a fleshy fruit with many seeds inside; an
achenecetum (aggregate of achene), is a fruit with one flower that has many developed ovaries,
and the swollen receptacle is the edible part. A pepo is a fleshy, multi-seeded fruit that grows from
a single flower with a single ovary separated into numerous carpels and matures into a hard or
rough rind. When ripened, a capsule fruit, which is a dry fruit, open up. In the type of placentation,
it can be marginal, parietal, axile, and basal.
Marginal placentation can be observed in unicarpellate gynoecia- ovules are borne on the
fused margin of the same carpel, and post genital fusing of the involute margins at the site of
contact results in a syncarpous gynoecium. Parietal placentation refers to the development of
ovules on the inner wall of the ovary. The most prevalent placentation type in syncarpous gynoecia
is axile placentation, in which ovules are located at the curved inward borders of the carpels or the
central column of the ovary where septa meet. Basal placentation, a modified form of axile
placentation is where a single ovule is implanted at the base of the ovary. Lastly, the dibble parts
of a fruit ae different depending on the feature of the fruit.

Table 3. Botanical illustrations.

Part A
Scientific Name Illustration Reference photo/specimen
(Common Name)
Vigna sesquipedalis
exocarp
(Yard long bean) seed

endocarp
mesocarp

Psidium guajava

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

(Guava)
exocarp
mesocarp
endocarp

seed

(Freepik, 2022)
Fragaria × ananassa
(Strawberry)
exocarp seed
mesocarp

endocarp

(Pngtree, n.d.)

Cucumis sativus

(Cucumber) mesocarp

endocarp
locule

seed

Citrus microcarpa
exocarp
mesocarp
(Kalamansi)
seed
endocarp

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Mangifera indica

(Mango) exocarp
mesocarp
endocarp
seed

Malus pumila
exocarp
(Apple)
mesocarp
seed

endocarp

Ricinus communis
exocarp
(Castor bean)
mesocarp

endocarp

seed
(Limited, n.d.)
Helianthus annuus
exocarp
(Sunflower) locule

mesocarp
endocarp

seed
(Wikipedia, 2023a)

Oryza sativa (Rice)

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

pericarp

endosperm

embryo

(Photos, n.d.)
Cocos nucifera
mesocarp
(Coconut)
endocarp

endosperm

exocarp (Freepik, 2021)

Lablab purpurea
pericarp
(Bataw)
seed

(NCEGPT, n.d.)
Anona squamosa

(Atis) exocarp

endocarp

seed (Lr, n.d.)

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Ananas comosus
exocarp
(Pinya) mesocarp

endocarp
seed

Cucurbita moschata
exocarp
(Kalabasa)
mesocarp

endocarp

seed

(Wikimedia Commons, 2009)

Citrus grandis
exocarp
(Pomelo) mesocarp

endocarp

seed

(Taylor, 2023)
Spondias purpurea

(Sinigwelas) exocarp
mesocarp

endocarp (Stuart, n.d.)

seed

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Abelmoschus (Zijlstra, n.d.)

esculentus (Okra) exocarp
mesocarp

endocarp

seed

Bixa orellana
exocarp
(Atsuwete)

mesocarp

seed
(Ebay, n.d.)

Cosmos sp.

edible

Zea mays (Corn)

pericarp

(Freepik, 2019)
seed

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Solanum lycopersicum
exocarp
(Tomato) mesocarp
endocarp
locule
seed

(Tatarinov, n.d.)
Part B. Parts of a fruit

Pisum sativum
(pea pod) pea

pericarp

furniculus

remnants of the
calyx

remnants of the
style

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

STUDY QUESTIONS
1. In some of the fruits, the floral parts are persistent even up to maturity. Identify these parts.
Consider Psidium guajava and Oryza sativa. What are the structures attached at the upper
part of the two fruits?
It is the calyx and corolla.
2. Is there an advantage of dry fruits over fleshy fruits? Give reasons.
• In terms of consumption, dry fruits have an advantage because they have a longer
shelf life compared to fleshy fruits. It is because of their dry feature, there isn’t any
moist so the fruit remains intact, and can’t be spoiled – compared to fleshy fruits.
• Dry fruits tend to be more adaptable to dry environments during periods of water
constraint. The lower water content of their structure’s aids in moisture
conservation, making them more resistant to desiccation and allowing plants to live
in dry settings.
• The dry and strong outer layer of dry fruits creates a physical barrier that protects
the seeds from microbial attack, lowering the danger of rotting or fungal diseases.

3. Are there differences in morphology between monocot and dicot fruits? Tabulate these
differences (if any).

Morphological Monocot fruits Dicot fruits

feature

Number of One Two

cotyledons

Number of flower Multiples of three Multiples of four or five

parts

Type of vascular Scattered throughout Arranged in a ring

bundles the fruit

Seed coat Single layered Double layered

Endosperm Often present and Often absent or limited to a thin layer

starchy

Morphological Have flower parts Have large, fleshy seeds

feature with multiples of
four/five petals

SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Fruit type Usually, a capsule Can be a variety of types including

or berry capsules, berries, drupes, and legumes

CONCLUSION
This lab activity has taken students on an informative trip across the world of fruit anatomy
and morphology, allowing them to understand the intricacy and diversity of these natural wonders.
We found the complex structures that contribute to the creation and functionality of fruits via
detailed observation and analysis. This acquired knowledge expands the awareness of the critical
function fruits play in human nutrition, as well as their importance in horticulture and
environmental protection. Our hands-on experience has instilled amazement and appreciation for
the botanical marvels hidden inside these wonderful gifts of nature.

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SERRANO, SHARA B. BOT 111.1 JK

 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

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 University of the Philippines Tacloban College Bio 111.1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

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