Development, Structure and Dehiscence of Follicles of Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae)

The atrichomatous wall of ovary in Calotropis procera becomes highly pubescent in the young fruit, but scabrous I the mature fruit. The single layered epicarp develops from the outer epidermis of the ovary wall. The mesocarp which develops from the mesodermis is distinguished into outer, middle and inner zones. The central mesocarp breaks up in the course of fruit development and disintegrate to form large air chambers. The 2-3 layered lignified endocarp develops from the inner epidermis as well as from the inner mesodermis layers of the ground tissue and shows a‘parquetry pattern’of cell arrangement in surface view. The parenchymatous becomes aerenchymatous in the mature fruit. Fruit dehiscence in marginicidal (ventricidal).