Question

In Pepo, the external skin or fruit wall is called
A. Epicarp
B. Thalamus
C. Both A and B
D. Mesocarp

Answer 1

Pepo is a kind of berry with a thick rind and is a typical fruit of the gourd family. It develops from a single ovary having several carpels. Its fruit wall or pericarp is divided into three different regions- endocarp (inner layer), mesocarp (middle layer), and exocarp (outer layer).

Complete answer: Pepo is a type of berry with a thick and rigid wall. It is a fleshy fruit that is formed from a single ovary. It is a single fruit and belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is a succulent type of fruit that develops from a tricarpellary, syncarpous ovary having parietal placentation. It is a type of fleshy fruit. Common examples of pepo fruits are cucumber, watermelon, squash, pumpkin, and cantaloupe. Pepo is a simple fruit. Inside the thick rigid wall, the fruit is soft and fleshy. Thalamus forms the bulk in the tissues. The external thick fruit wall is formed by the fusion of the thalamus and epicarp or exocarp. The mesocarp, placenta, and endocarp fuse to develop edible pulp. The seeds fill the locule of each carpel.
Hence, the correct option is A) Epicarp.

Note: Pepo is a type of indehiscent fleshy single-celled many-seeded berry. It is also known as an accessory fruit because it develops from the ovary enclosed in a receptacle. It is a characteristic fruit that has a differentiated fruit wall.