A fruit is the mature ovary of a flower containing the fertilized ovules. Ethylene, a plant hormone, promotes the ripening of fruit. The structure of many fruits aids in the dispersal of the seeds. For example, colorful, fleshy, aromatic fruits tend to be eaten by animals. The seeds generally pass through the digestive system undamaged and are stimulated to germinate by the abrasive action of enzymes and extreme pH. Other fruits dry as they mature and “shoot” the seeds away from the mother plant. Still others are modified with wings or parachutes whose large surface area catches air currents.
The parts of the fruit are derived from the parts of the ovary. The wall of the ovary becomes the pericarp of the fruit. The pericarp may be fleshy, may be dry or may be only partially fleshy. Fruits can be classified based on, among other things, the kind of pericarp they have. Remember that the fertilized ovules become the seeds.