Fruit development and structure in some Indian bamboos

Abstract

Fruit structure and development of seven species belonging to five genera of Indian bamboos are described. The fruit in four species is a caryopsis typical of the family Poaceae. The ovule is bitegmic; the outer surface of the cells of nucellar epidermis becomes cutinized and forms the seed coat. Three species bear a fleshy fruit with a unitegmic ovule. In a mature fruit the endosperm is either completely absorbed by the embryo or is present only in small quantity. The developing embryo comes in direct contact with the fruit wall due to the disintegration of the nucellus and integument. The embryo is covered by a thick brown mat from the disorganized cells of the inner layers of the fruit wall.