Final answer:
The exocarp is the thin outer covering of a fruit, while the endocarp is the small hard inner part that encloses the seed. Fruits can have different layers of the pericarp, which include the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. Peaches, peanuts, and corn are examples of fruits with distinct exocarps and endocarps.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fruits generally have three parts: the exocarp (the outermost skin or covering), the mesocarp (middle part of the fruit), and the endocarp (the inner part of the fruit). Together, all three are known as the pericarp.
The mesocarp is usually the fleshy, edible part of the fruit; however, in some fruits, such as the almond, the endocarp is the edible part.
In many fruits, two or all three of the layers are fused, and are indistinguishable at maturity. Fruits can be dry or fleshy. Furthermore, fruits can be divided into dehiscent or indehiscent types.
Dehiscent fruits, such as peas, readily release their seeds, while indehiscent fruits, like peaches, rely on decay to release their seeds.
Fruits are formed when the ovary of a flower is fertilized and develops into a mature fruit. The outer covering of the fruit is called the exocarp and the inner part is called the endocarp.
For example, peaches have a thin exocarp and a hard inner endocarp that contains the seed. This is similar to the shell of a peanut or the hull of corn, which are also examples of the outer coverings of fruits.