Pineapple is an example of a composite fruit. A composite fruit is a fruit that develops from a cluster of flowers called an inflorescence. In the case of pineapple, the fruit develops from the fusion of many small individual fruits called fruitlets, which are arranged in a spiral pattern around the central core of the fruit. Each fruitlet contains a seed and is covered by a fleshy, edible layer that is derived from the ovary wall of the flower.
Other examples of composite fruits include figs and mulberries. Composite fruits are different from simple fruits, which develop from a single ovary, and aggregate fruits, which develop from many separate ovaries in a single flower. Dehiscent fruits, on the other hand, are fruits that split open at maturity to release their seeds, such as legumes and capsules.