A fruit formed from one flower with many carpels is referred to as

Analyze the question

The question asks what we call a fruit that develops from a single flower that has many separate (free) carpels. The key phrase is "one flower with many carpels."

Explain the concept

Fruits are classified by how they develop from flowers:

• Simple fruit: develops from one flower with a single carpel or fused carpels (e.g. orange, tomato, mango, bean pod).
• Aggregate fruit: develops from one flower that has many separate carpels, each forming a small fruitlet. These fruitlets stay clustered together on one receptacle (e.g. strawberry, raspberry, custard apple, Annona).
• Multiple (composite) fruit: develops from many flowers (an inflorescence) that fuse together into one fruit (e.g. pineapple, jackfruit, breadfruit).
• False fruit (pseudocarp): a fruit in which parts other than the ovary, such as the receptacle, form the main fleshy part (e.g. apple, cashew "apple").

Step-by-step solution

1. Count the flowers: the fruit comes from one flower. This rules out multiple fruit (B), which comes from many flowers.
2. Count the carpels: the flower has many carpels. This rules out simple fruit (A), which comes from one carpel or fused carpels.
3. The question says nothing about non-ovary tissue forming the fruit, so false fruit (D) does not fit.
4. One flower with many free carpels gives an aggregate fruit.

Answer: C. aggregate

Exam tip

Remember it by counting flowers and carpels:

• Simple = Single carpel (one flower)
• Aggregate = All from one flower, many carpels
• Multiple = Many flowers (e.g. pineapple)