How does a pome differ from a drupe?
In botany, drupes and pomes are both types of fleshy fruits, but they differ significantly in their structural development and composition.12
Drupes
A drupe, or stone fruit, is a simple fruit derived from a single ovary. Its pericarp (the fruit wall) is typically differentiated into three distinct layers:32
* Exocarp: The thin outer skin or peel.32
* Mesocarp: The fleshy or fibrous middle layer.32
* Endocarp: A hard, stony layer (the "pit" or "stone") that encloses the seed.32
Common examples include peaches, plums, and cherries.32
Pomes
A pome is an accessory fruit characteristic of certain members of the Rosaceae family, such as apples and pears. Unlike a drupe, a pome develops from a compound inferior ovary where the hypanthium (floral cup) becomes fleshy and forms the bulk of the fruit. In a pome, only the central "core" represents the true pericarp, which contains a cartilaginous or stony endocarp.412