Question

Inflorescence of which one of the following sets completely develops into composite fruits?
A) Spike, corymb, hypanthodium
B) Spike, female catkin, hypanthodium
C) Umbel, catkin, spadix
D) Female catkin, corymb, spike

Answer 1

Composite fruits are multiple fruits developed from the entire inflorescence rather than a single flower.An example of a composite fruit is raspberry.

Complete answer:
The fruit is a ripened ovary.The main function of fruit is to protect the seeds.The composite fruit is a type of fruit which is developed from entire inflorescence rather than a single flower.Flowers as well as the peduncles take part in the development of fruit.All composite fruits are false fruits.Many ovaries and other floral parts combine to form a fruit.There are two types of composite fruit-

Psoriasis: Such types of fruits develop from spike, spadix or catkin inflorescence. Here ovules do not mature into seeds. Thus the carpels develop into seedless nutlets.Example jackfruit.
Sycose: These fruits develop from hypanthodium.Receptacle becomes porous and hollow.The receptacle further develops into edible fleshy fruit.Example Ficus.

Additional Information: Grapes grow in clusters but are not composite fruit.Each grape is grown from one ovary in one flower.So each grape is an independent fruit.

Thus the correct answer is (B) Composite fruits develop from spike, female catkin and hypanthodium.

Note: An apple is a composite fruit because the fleshy part surrounds the ovules or seeds which are in the pods within the apple.Raspberry is made of several small fruits each containing their own seeds.