Question

Why do we not use the terms maize fruit and maize seed? What do we say instead?

Answer 1

Hint: A fruit is a fertilised ovary and a seed is a fertilised matured ovule which contains an embryo or a growing plant. In maize, the outer layer of the fruit is fused with the seed coat. The entire kernel is called the seed.

Complete answer:
After fertilisation, the petals and sepals wither off. The ovary matures in the fruit and the ovule develops into seeds. The integuments of the ovules become the seed coat. The ovary undergoes cell division and transforms into a fruit. The wall of the ovary becomes the outer layer of the fruit called the pericarp. It is the protective layer of the developing seed.

In case of maize, the pericarp is fused with the seed coat so the term maize fruit and maize seed is not used.
Instead, the maize is referred to as caryopsis. Caryopsis is a type of dry simple fruit, formed from a simple carpel and does not open at maturity. The pericarp is fused with the thin seed coat. The caryopsis is typical to the family Poaceae. It is popularly known as grain. The other examples of caryopsis are wheat, rice.

The correct answer is caryopsis.

Note: The seeds are made up of cotyledons with either one or two. The development of seed is accompanied by many structural changes. It takes its nourishment from the endosperm for its growth. When the seed nears germination, the water from the seed is lost and the micropyle opens up. This leads to the growth and development of the stalk.