Question

A non biology person is quite shocked to know that apple is a false fruit, mango is a true fruit and banana is a seedless fruit. As a biology student how would you satisfy this person?

Answer 1

Fruits that are mature ovaries of flowers are called “true fruits”, and fruits that develop from other floral parts of plants are called “false fruits”. For example, in an apple, the thalamus produces the fleshy edible part; thus, an apple is a false fruit. Mango, on the other hand, develops from the ovary of the flower; thus, it is a true fruit.

Fruits that develop without fertilisation are called parthenocarpic fruits. Since no fertilisation takes place, such fruits are seedless. Banana is an example of a seedless fruit.