Re: What is the scientific name for the hard tissue in the apple? We think it

Mary Jo,

Great question!

If we were to slice an apple in half we would see a number of layers. All of the material surrounding the seeds is called the pericarp. The pericarp can be devided into three layers. The skin of the apple is called the exocarp, the fleshy part is called the endocarp, and the hard material is called the endocarp.

The apple and pear are a type of fruit called a pome fruit. The endocarp does not always look like it does in an apple. Take a kind of fruit called a drupe (a peach, cherry, or apricot). The bony outside of the pit surrounding the seed is the endosperm. The loculus you mention is a part of a hard coated, dry fruit called a capsule. A loculcidal capsule is one that splits lenghtwise when it is ready to spread its seed. An iris is a good example of this type of plant.

There are many other types of fruits. A good reference is a book titled "Vascular Plant Families" by James Payne Smith, Jr. 1977.

If you would like to follow up further, please e-mail me! Keep asking those questions!!!

Eric J. Biddinger

Graduate Student - Horticulture Penn State University

ejb190@psu.edu

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Admin note:
David Hershey adds the following:

An apple fruit is a pome but the fleshy, edible part of the apple arises from the floral tube rather than carpels, and is called the hypanthium. The hard part of the fruit surrounding the seeds is considered the endocarp. The fleshy part is not the mesocarp and the apple skin is not the exocarp.

Reference

Esau, K. 1977. Anatomy of Seed Plants. New York: Wiley.