tree-logo.gif (7741 bytes) Plant Taxonomy (BIOL308)  -  Stephen G. Saupe, Ph.D.; Biology Department, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321; ssaupe@csbsju.edu; http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/

Fruit Questions

Misconception Question:  Describe the botanical misconception that is expressed by each of the following statements.

  1. sunflower seed

  2. straw"berry"

  3. Momma says "eat your peas because vegetables are good for you"

  4.  "Mmmmm, this is great rhubarb pie.  How much fruit did you put into it"?

  5. I love coco"nuts".

Fill-In-The-Blank Question Identify the fruit type (possible answers include:  achene, samara, nut, schizocarp, caryopsis, capsule, silique, legume, loment, follicle, berry, pepo, hesperidium, aggregate, multiple, synconium)

  1. A fleshy fruit with a leathery pericarp, like an orange is a: _________________________

  2. A fig is an example of this type of fruit: ____________________________

  3. Plants in the Mustard family produce these fruits that dehisce leaving a septum: _________________

  4. A fleshy fruit with a pit (stone fruits): ______________________ 

  5. The pit of a stone fruit is comprised of these two structures: _________________ & ________________

  6. Pineapples are derived from (one/many) flowers: ________________________

  7. The flesh of an apple is derived from this structure:  __________________________

  8. A fleshy fruit with a leathery pericarp, like an orange is a: _________________________

  9. A fig is an example of this type of fruit: ____________________________

  10. Plants in the Mustard family produce these fruits that dehisce leaving a septum: _________________

  11. A fleshy fruit with a pit (stone fruits): ______________________ 

  12. The pit of a stone fruit is comprised of these two structures: _________________ & ________________

  13. Pineapples are derived from (one/many) flowers: ________________________

  14. The flesh of an apple is derived from this structure:  __________________________

  15. A fleshy fruit with a leathery pericarp, like an orange is a: _________________________

  16. A fig is an example of this type of fruit: ____________________________

  17. Plants in the Mustard family produce these fruits that dehisce leaving a septum: _________________

  18. A fleshy fruit with a pit (stone fruits): ______________________ 

  19. The pit of a stone fruit is comprised of these two structures: _________________ & ________________

  20. Pineapples are derived from (one/many) flowers: ________________________

  21. The flesh of an apple is derived from this structure:  __________________________

What's the Difference? Question:  Describe the difference between:

  1. a loment and legume?

  2. grain and achene

  3. a fruit and a vegetable

Fruit Identification Question: Complete the table for a green bean, watermelon and strawberry.

Question

Green bean

Watermelon

Strawberry
Is the pericarp fleshy or dry?      
How many ovaries were required to produce this fruit?      
How many flowers were involved?      
Is the fruit simple, aggregate or multiple?      
Are structures other than matured ovary present (yes or no)?      
How many carpels were involved in the formation of this fruit?      
What type of gynoecium was involved? (apocarpous, including monocarpellate or syncarpous)      
What type of placentation does this fruit exhibit?      
Approximately how many ovules per fruit?      
Is this fruit type normally dehiscent or indehiscent      
What "TYPE" of fruit is it?      

Life Cycle True/False Question:  Circle the correct response.

  1. False        True     After fertilization, the ovule develops into a fruit

  2. False        True     Each seed requires two pollen grains for development

  3. False        True     Fertilization occurs in the carpel (ovule)

  4. False        True     For every seed there was one ovule in the ovary

  5. False        True     Meiosis occurs in the anther and ovule

  6. False        True     Plants have sex (meiosis & fertilization)

  7. False        True     Plants have two fertilizations

  8. False        True     Pollen is the male gametophyte

  9. False        True    A pollen grain is a sporophyte

  10. False        True    The ovule contains the female gametophyte

  11. False        True    Pollination occurs in the anther.

  12. False        True    Fertilization occurs in the ovule

  13. False        True    Pollination and fertilization are synonyms for the same events

  14. False        True    A tomato is dehiscent

  15. False        True    A tomato is an aggregate fruit

  16. False        True    A tomato is derived from a single ovary

  17. False        True    A tomato is derived from many flowers

  18. False        True    A tomato is a dry fruit

  19. False        True    A tomato ovary has many ovules

  20. False        True    A tomato tastes good

Definition:  Define or describe the following.

  1. simple fruit

  2. ventral suture

  3. indehiscent

  4. pericarp

Short Answer Questions.

  1. How can you tell the difference between a fruit, seed, and vegetable?

  2. Identify five ways that fruits/seeds are dispersed.

  3. What does the saying, �the apple doesn�t fall far from the tree,� tell us about the likely method of dispersal for apples?

  4. Can you describe the life cycle of an angiosperm using the following terms:  sporophyte, gametophyte, diploid, haploid, 2n, n, spore, gamete, pollen, immature male gametophyte, female gametophyte, ovule, anther, ovary, pollen tube, stigma, generative nucleus, tube nucleus, egg, synergids, sperm, polar nuclei.

Special Brainteaswer Bonus:
     On a trip to the supermarket or garden store, did you ever notice that you can buy seeds for seedless watermelons? If the watermelons that grow from these seeds are truly seedless (which they are!), then where do the seeds for growing seedless watermelons come from?    click here for the answer
 

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Last updated:  09/26/2007 / � Copyright by SG Saupe