Question

A drupe of coconut, mesocarp is-
A) Fleshy
B) Fibrous
C) Stony
D) Watery

Answer 1

Hint:
1. Drupe is composed of three layers-
a) Epicarp(outermost layer)
b) Mesocarp( middle layer)
c) Endocarp( inner layer)
2. coconut water and coconut meat are not parts of drupe.

Complete Answer:
1.FLESHY- Inner wall of the endocarp is called testa. Testa is attached with a thick, white, albuminous endosperm called coconut flesh or coconut meat. So the fleshy part is endosperm, part of the seed. It is the most tasteful edible part of coconut. This part contains fatty substances.

2.FIBROUS- coconut is divided into mainly two-parts one is edible and another is not edible. coconut flesh and coconut water are edible parts. Excluding the edible part is called drupe. Fibrous layer found between outer smooth layer and inner stony layer. Outer smooth layer is called epicarp, the middle fibrous layer is called mesocarp,and the inner stony layer is called endocarp. So,mesocarp is fibrous.

3.STONY- a stony layer covers coconut flesh and coconut water. Coconut meat and coconut water is the part of seed. The stony covering is thin. But it is not edible. stony covering is the inner part of the dupe, so the stony layer is endocarp.

WATERY- Coconut water is the juice found in the central part of the coconut. Watery part of coconut contains 94% water, little fat, protein, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, calcium etc. Watery part of coconut serves as a suspension for endosperm during early phase of development. So the watery part is one form of endosperm.

So, the answer is option (B).

Note:
(i) Coconut water can lower sugar levels in blood.
(ii) Coconut oil is extracted from coconut flesh.
(iii) Drupe is generally used as fuel.