Question

Custard Apple is an aggregate fruit of

• A. Berries
• B. Drupes
• C. Achenes
• D. Hypanthodium

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Berries

The correct option is A.

Explanation for correct option:

1. Aggregate fruits develop from a single flower whereas the flower possesses more than one ovary and the ovaries are joined together.
2. Custard apple is made up by fusing individual berry-like pistils.
3. Therefore, each fruitlet of custard apple is a berry.

Explanation for incorrect option:

Option B:

1. Drupes are fibrous fleshy fruits that grow from a single ovary and therefore have a single seed.
2. Custard apple develops from many ovaries and therefore possesses more than one seed.
3. Custard apple is not an example of drupes.

Option C:

1. Achenes are also one-seeded fruit derived from a single ovary.
2. Custard apples grow from many ovaries and do have many seeds.
3. Hence, custard apples are not achenes.

Option D:

1. Hypanthodium refers to a type of inflorescence from which syconus fruits are derived.
2. Syconus fruits are derived from the whole inflorescence whereas aggregate fruits are formed from the apocarpous ovary of a single flower.
3. Custard apples derive from a single flower.
4. Hence, it is an aggregate fruit.

Final answer: Custard Apple is an aggregate fruit of berries.