Question

In which of the following plants, sepals do not fall off after fertilization and remain attached to the fruit?
A. Brinjal
B. Cucumber
C. Papaya
D. Bitter gourd

Answer 1

Hint: The reproductive structure of a plant is found inside the flower. A flower is also known as bloom. In angiosperms, the main functions of the flower are production of fruits by union of male parts with the female parts.

Complete answer:
The parts of the flower can be distinguished into vegetative parts and reproductive parts. The vegetative parts consist of the petals and the reproductive parts are the stamens and the carpals. The flower parts can be divided into four whorls or parts such as calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium.
The androecium and the gynoecium are the reproductive parts of the flower. Androecium consists of units known as the stamens. The stamen is made up of two parts which is the filament and the anther. The filament is a stalk like structure which bears the anther where production of pollen takes place. The female reproductive organ is the gynoecium and consists of units known as the carpels. The carpels fuse to give rise to the ovary which produces the ovules. The next whorl is the corolla which consists of the petals. The calyx is the outermost whorl and it consists of units known as the sepals.
Sepals are green structures which enclose the complete flower during the bud stage of flower development. The main function of sepals is protection and support to the petals of the flower. After flowering, the sepals have no more function and it falls off or dries away. But in a few species of plants, the sepals are present as a protection to the growing fruits as well as the seeds. After fertilization or pollination, the ovary of the flower develops into fruit. During this process, certain hormones are released by the plant which initiates the development of fruit. This leads to withering of the other parts such as petals, sepals.
Brinjal or also known as eggplant, is the member of the Solanaceae family. In brinjal, flowers consist of five carpels and petals with ovary superior and united carpels. The sepals are present in brinjal rather than drying away. It is present as a green structure and helps in the protection of the fruit.
In cucumber and bitter gourd, the corolla and sepals are present over the inferior ovary and after fertilization, the sepals fall off to give rise to the fruit.

Therefore, the correct option is option A.

Note: The flower consists of four important whorls which are sepals, petals, stamens and the carpels. The sepals and the petals usually dry out after the fertilization and formation of fruit. But, in brinjal, the sepals remain attached to the fruit after fertilization.