Question

Sclereids are

• A. spherical, oval or cylindrical
• B. with highly thickened dead cells with very narrow cavity (lumen)
• C. commonly found in the fruit walls of nuts, pulp of fruits like guava, pear and sapota, seed coat of legumes and tea leaves
• D. all of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D all of the above

Sclerenchyma consists of long, narrow cells with thick and lignified cell walls having a few or numerous pits. The cells are dead and without protoplasts.
On the basis of variation in form, structure, origin and development, sclerenchyma may be either fibres or sclereids. The sclereids are spherical, oval or cylindrical, highly thickened dead cells with very narrow cavities (lumen). These are commonly found in the

• fruit walls of nuts
• pulp of fruits like guava, pear and sapota
• seed coats of legumes and leaves of tea.

Sclereids are mostly responsible for the grittiness in the pulp of these fruits.