Question

Pericarp develops from
a. Thalamus
b. Pedicel
c. Walls of ovary
d. Ovules

Answer 1

Hint: A fruit is a ripened ovary and the seeds are developed from the ovules. Pericarp is called the fruit wall. It is thick and fleshy and is also edible.

Complete answer:
We are already aware of the fact that the flowers develop into fruits after fertilization. The ovary which is the female reproductive part of the plant changes into the fruit which encloses the seed inside which are developed from the ovules. In case of the fleshy fruit, the outer layer is known as the pericarp. The pericarp is nothing but the walls of the ovary. It surrounds the ovules or the seeds from the environment.

The pericarp in case of fleshy fruit is divided into three layers-
• Epicarp or the outermost layer- It forms the tough outer skin of the fruit.
• Mesocarp or the middle layer – It is the mostly eaten part of the fruit.
• Endocarp is the inner layer which surrounds the seed.

In case of citrus fruits, the epicarp and mesocarp form the peel or skin of the fruit.
• Thalamus- It is also called the receptacle from which the flower grows. In some fruits like strawberry, thalamus is edible.
• Pedicel- It is the small stem that attaches the flower in inflorescence. Fruits are connected to the stem of the plant by the help of a pedicel.

Hence the correct answer is option (c).

Note: The pericarp surrounds the seeds. It is relatively tough in nature. It protects the seeds from the environment and also it is fleshy. So it is eaten by animals and birds which in turn helps in seed dispersal.