Fruit Development and Structure in Some Indian Bamboos

Fruit structure and development of seven species belonging tofive genera of Indian bamboos are described. The fruit in fourspecies is a caryopsis typical of the family Poaceae. The ovuleis bitegmic; the outer surface of the cells of nucellar epidermisbecomes cutinized and forms the seed coat. Three species beara fleshy fruit with a unitegmic ovule. In a mature fruit theendosperm is either completely absorbed by the embryo or ispresent only in small quantity. The developing embryo comesin direct contact with the fruit wall due to the disintegrationof the nucellus and integument. The embryo is covered by a thickbrown mat from the disorganized cells of the inner layers ofthe fruit wall. Poaceae, Bambusoideae, Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Melocalamus, Ochlandra, Pseudostachyum (fleshy fruits), fruit wall