Question

Lomentum is
(a)Achenial fruit
(b)Schizocarpic fruit
(c)Composite fruit
(d)Syconus fruit

Answer 1

Hint: Lomentum is a dry fruit. Between indehiscent and capsular (being several seeded) fruits, these fruits may be considered intermediate. A number of indehiscent single-seeded segments called mericarps are developed as the fruit breaks up.

Complete answer:
Lomentum is a simple, dry, dehiscent fruit that divides into single parts that are seeded. Among the seeds present, the fruit is constricted. It breaks apart when there are constrictions between segments, so that there is one seed in each section. It is a type of dry fruit that, when it matures (schizocarp), splits up.
It is a fruit which is schizocarpic. Schizocarpic fruit is a subtype of indehiscent fruit composed of two carpels that divide into two one-seeded fruits along the midline at maturity.
Mimosa and Acacia arabica examples of lomentum. In the case of radish, the fruit is siliqua lomentaceae. It is also present in Tamarind, Archis hypogea, Desmodium, and Cassia fistula.
Tick trefoil (Desmodium) and sweet vetch (Hedysarum) are two genera that exhibit this type of fruit, which is found particularly in the Fabaceae family tribe of Hedysareae.

Additional Information: Achenial fruit: On maturation, the pericarp of such fruits does not rupture and the seeds remain inside it.
Composite fruit: A multiple or a composite fruit is considered a fruit that grows from a full inflorescence.
Syconus fruit: It is a composite type of fruit. From the hypanthodium type of inflorescence, this fruit grows and is characteristic of Ficus.
So, the correct answer is, ‘Schizocarpic fruit’.

Note: The dry fruits that break into single-seeded indehiscent sections known as mericarps when maturing are schizocarpic fruits. They are sometimes called splitting fruits. As they are simple fruits, they come from a single ovary of a single flower.