Question

Which one of the following is an example of the fruit type Achene?
A. Cherry
B. Pineapple
C. Mustard
D. Sunflower

Answer 1

An Achene is a one-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruit with a thin wall. The achene is the characteristic fruit of the Asteraceae and sedge (Cyperaceae) families, although it can also be found in many other groups. It's a single-seeded, tiny fruit with a single seed. The seed is held in place by a funiculus, but the seed coat is free of the pericarp's inner wall.

Complete answer:
Let us check the options to find the correct answer.
Option: A – Cherries are drupe type fruits. The innermost section of the wall (endocarp) of the fruit becomes hard and rocky, the outermost piece (exocarp) becomes a relatively thin skin, and the intermediate region (mesocarp) between the skin and the stone becomes either fleshy or fibrous. Hence cherry is nor achene fruit.
Thus, Option A is not the correct answer.
Option: B – Pineapple are berry type fruits and are also multi-seeded fruits and therefore, are not Achene type fruits.
Thus, Option B is not correct.
Option: C – Mustard belongs to the Brassiaceae family and is an example of siliqua fruit. It develops from a bicarpellary syncarpous ovary. Therefore mustard is not an example of achene type fruit.
Thus, Option C is also not correct.
Option: D –Sunflower is an example of achene fruit, which originates from the monocarpellary superior ovary, is a simple, dry, single seeded, and indehiscent fruit.
Thus, Option D is correct.

Hence, option D. Sunflower is the correct answer

Note:
Only members of the Angiosperm family have the structure known as a "fruit". True fruit is a fruit that develops purely from the ovary and its contents. An auxiliary fruit is a fruit made up of the ovary and its contents, as well as other components of the flower such the receptacle, petals, and sepals (e.g. pineapple). Simple, aggregate and multiple fruits are the basic categories of fruit types.