Question

Differentiate between dehiscent and indehiscent fruits with suitable examples.

Answer 1

Hint: Based on whether fruits open at maturity or not, they are divided into two categories.

Complete answer:

Dehiscent fruits	Indehiscent fruits
The dehiscent fruit cracks at maturity to discharge its seeds.	The indehiscent fruit does not crack at maturity to discharge seeds.
The dehiscent fruit bursts open when dry to spread their seed.	The indehiscent fruit opens by either damage or distributed by consumption by animals.
The dehiscent fruits are developed from an ovary with a single carpel and several fused carpels.	Indehiscent fruits are developed from either single carpels or compound ovaries.
The three main types of dehiscent fruits are follicles, legumes, and capsules.	The types of indehiscent fruits are the achene, the samara, the caryopsis, nuts and schizocarps.
The examples of dehiscent fruits are pumpkin and nuts, peas, and beans	The examples of indehiscent fruits are sunflowers and dandelions.

Note: There are two broad categories of fruits:
- Fleshy fruits are those in which the pericarp and accessory parts change into succulent tissues. Fleshy fruits comprise of
The berries, like tomatoes, blueberries, and cherries, in which the entire pericarp and the accessory parts become succulent tissue.
Aggregate fruits, like blackberries and strawberries, which develop from a single flower with many ovaries, each of which develops into fruitlets.
Multiple fruits, such as pineapples and mulberries, which form from the mature ovaries of a whole inflorescence.
- Dry fruits are those in which the entire pericarp becomes dry at maturity. Dry fruits consist of the legumes, cereal grains, capsulate fruits, and nuts. These include dehiscent and indehiscent fruits.