Question

Litchi fruit is classified as
A. Fleshy fruit having mesocarp as the edible part
B. Nut with aril as the edible part
C. Drupe with endosperm as the edible part
D. Berry with endocarp as the edible part

Answer 1

Hint: Litchi is an edible fruit belonging to the evergreen trees of the soapberry family. The mesocarp is the middle layer of the fruit wall. The aril is the accessory tissue that arises from the base of the ovule. It is fleshy and sugary. The endosperm is the food storing tissue inside the seed. Endocarp is the innermost layer of the fruit wall.

Complete answer:
The litchi is classified as a nut. It belongs to the soapberry family. It is known for its sugary fleshy edible part known as aril. The litchi consists of a hard seed inside it. This seed has a tissue inside it named the endosperm. The outer layer of litchi is red or brown in color. This layer has a rough corky appearance. This layer is called the fruit wall. It consists of three layers. The exocarp is the outermost layer. The mesocarp is the middle layer that is usually fused with the exocarp in litchi fruit. Thus, it is not an edible layer. Lastly, the endocarp is the innermost layer of the fruit wall or pericarp. The aril is the accessory tissue that grows from the base of the ovule. It stays connected to the seed and extends up to the fruit wall. It provides protection to the seed enclosed in it. It is usually fleshy, colorful, and sugary. It consists of various essential nutrients required by seed. Thus, it acts as an edible diet for many animals. The aril in litchi is a watery, fleshy, and sugary edible part that is somewhat white in color. The endosperm is the food storing tissue that is triploid (having three sets of chromosomes). Its function is to provide nutrition to the seed in its dormant stages. As it is present inside the hard seed of the litchi fruit, it is not feasible to eat endosperm. Moreover, litchi is classified as a nut, not a drupe. The drupe is seen in coconut. The endocarp is the innermost layer of the fruit wall. It is represented by the transparent shiny covering around the aril. It is not edible.
Therefore, from the above discussion, we can conclude that the right answer is option B.

Note: The litchi is an important economically important fruit that has hundreds of health benefits. Litchi fruit is a valuable international commodity. But it is quite perishable and prone to worms and diseases. Thus it needs proper sanitary and maintenance conditions to be harvested and stored.