Question

Pineapple fruit is
A. Multiple, syconus
B. Multiple, sorosis
C. Aggregate, etaerio of berries
D. Aggregate, etaerio of achenes

Answer 1

Hint:Pineapple is one of the world’s most important tropical fruits. The pineapple develops from the fusion of multiple unpollinated flowers. The berries developed from ovaries coalesce together into a compact fruit. Pollination of pineapple flowers commonly occurs by hummingbirds.

Complete answer:Pineapple is a herbaceous shrub that grows up to $$1.0-1.5$$ meter tall. The plant is characterized by a short and stocky stem having tough and waxy leaves. The plant produces around 200 flowers individually which later fuses to form single complex multiple fruits. This is called sorosis. Sorosis refers to a special phenomenon in which multiple flowers fuse to form single fleshy multiple fruits. The fruit is derived from the intercalary spike. The intercalary inflorescence is that in which the terminal clusters of flowers have been left behind by continuous growth of the main axis of the plant. These clusters form alternatively fertile and sterile sections of flower groups. Thus, each polygonal area makes an individual flower. This is termed as multiple or composite types of fruit.
Thus, the pineapple fruit does not develop from the hypanthodium type of inflorescence rather it develops from cirrhosis. Also, the pineapple fruit is not syconus as it does not develop from hypanthodium. Aggregate fruits are those that develop from polycarpellary apocarpous gynoecium and not from the inflorescence. Etaerio of berries refers to the aggregate of berries. Although pineapple ovaries make berries, they do not form aggregate fruit. Achenes refer to individual fruitlets. Thus, etaerio of achenes means an aggregate of various fruitlets. Pineapple is not an etaerio of achenes.

So, from the above discussion, we can conclude that option B is the correct answer.

Note: Flowering in pineapple occurs after 12 to 20 months. The stem grows to form a spike-like inflorescence. The inflorescence reaches up to 15 cm having 100 to 200 spirally arranged flowers. The ovaries develop to form berries which later form compact multiple pineapple fruit. Pineapples are a rich source of manganese. Also, they are rich in vitamin C.