TEST OF PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE QUESTION (a) Study carefully specimens A and B and use them to answer questions 1(a) to 1(c). (a)(i) Name the types of fruit in ...

Answer Details

(a)(i) Types of fruit in specimens A and B, with reasons

Specimen A (garden egg): a berry. Reason: it has a fleshy pericarp with many seeds embedded in it.

Specimen B (Tridax fruit): a cypsela. Reason: it is a dry, single-seeded fruit that develops from an inferior ovary and bears a hairy pappus (parachute) formed from the modified calyx.

(a)(ii) Labelled drawing of the lateral (side) view of specimen B (Tridax fruit)

The drawing below shows the lateral view of the Tridax cypsela, made 8-10 cm long and fully labelled.

(b) Modes of dispersal of specimens A and B

Specimen A (garden egg): dispersed by animals. The fleshy, edible fruit is eaten by animals; the seeds pass through the gut unharmed and are voided in the droppings some distance away.

Specimen B (Tridax fruit): dispersed by wind. The light, dry fruit bears a crown of feathery pappus hairs (a parachute) that increases its surface area, so it is easily carried away by air currents.

(c) Five differences between specimens A and B