Question

The edible part of the fruit of apple is
(A) Thalamus
(B) Pericarp
(C) Endocarp
(D) Involucre

Answer 1

Hint:Fruit is the ripened ovary that is consumed by the people. Mainly, they possess sweet taste. It possesses seeds which are the matured fertilized ovule. Only the fertilized flowers developed into the fruit. The fruits are classified into simple, multiple, aggregate, or accessory based on its origination.

Complete answer:
Fruit is covered by the outer layer called pericarp. It is divided into epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp. Epicarp is the outermost layer of the fruit, mesocarp lies between the epicarp and the endocarp. Endocarp is the innermost layer that covers the seed of the fruit. Most of the fruit's edible part is the ovary which is matured after fertilization and has the seeds embedded into it. But in some of the fruits like apples, full flowers fuse together to make up the fruit.

In apples, thalamus floral parts are converted into the fleshy edible part of the fruit and it is the juicy part of the fruit. Apple is also called an accessory fruit because the edible fleshy part develops from the part other than ovary.

Thus, the option (A) is the correct answer.

Note:Apple is called as the false fruit or pseudo carp. And the other example of this is cashew nut, jackfruit, olive, quince, cherry, pear and pineapple. In all these fruits the hypanthium which surrounds the ovary forms the fruit.