Difference Between Apocarpous and Syncarpous Ovary with Examples
Khushboo Goyal9 Jun, 2025
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Difference between Apocarpous and Syncarpous Ovary: Botany notes are essential for NEET students. One of the key chapters is sexual reproduction in flowering plants, which covers important topics like the difference between apocarpous and syncarpous ovaries.
In flowering plants, the ovary can be either apocarpous or syncarpous, depending on how the carpels are arranged. An apocarpous ovary has multiple carpels that are separate from each other, each forming its pistil and ovary. In contrast, a syncarpous ovary has carpels that are fused together, forming a single pistil with a shared ovary.
NEET notes on the difference between Apocarpous and Syncarpous ovaries with examples are important in the NEET syllabus and are provided below.
What is Apocarpous Ovary?
An apocarpous ovary is found in flowers where the carpels (the female parts) are separate from one another. Each carpel creates its own pistil, which includes its own ovary. This means that a single flower can have multiple pistils, each with its own ovary. Examples of plants with apocarpous ovaries are roses and lotuses.
What is Syncarpous Ovary?
A syncarpous ovary is found in flowers where the carpels are joined together to form one pistil with a shared ovary. This can lead to either a unilocular (one-chambered) or multilocular (more than one chamber) ovary. Examples of plants with syncarpous ovaries include tomatoes and mustard.
Difference between Apocarpous and Syncarpous Ovary
NEET students can learn about the difference between apocarpous and syncarpous ovaries from the simple notes provided below. Here are the key differences between the two types of ovaries:
| Difference Between Apocarpous and Syncarpous Ovary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature | Apocarpous Ovary | Syncarpous Ovary |
| Definition | Ovary with multiple separate carpels | Ovary with multiple fused carpels |
| Carpel Arrangement | Carpels are distinct and separate | Carpels are joined together |
| Number of Pistils | Multiple pistils, each with its own ovary | One pistil with a combined ovary |
| Fruit Formation | Forms aggregate fruits (several small fruits) | Forms one fruit, regardless of the number of seeds |
| Examples | Rose, Lotus, Buttercup | Tomato, Mustard, Cucumber |
| Locule Number | Usually unilocular (one chamber) | Can be unilocular or multilocular (more than one chamber) |
| Genetic Variation | Allows for more genetic diversity | Less genetic variation due to fused carpels |
| Reproductive Process | Each carpel can become a separate fruit, leading to multiple ovaries | Fused carpels create one ovary, making reproduction simpler |
Examples of Apocarpous and Syncarpous Ovary
In flowering plants, ovaries can be grouped based on how the carpels are arranged and whether they are fused together. Apocarpous ovaries have separate carpels, while syncarpous ovaries have fused carpels. Here are examples of each type:
Apocarpous Ovary Examples
- Lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera ) : The lotus flower has multiple separate carpels. Each carpel forms its own ovary, leading to several individual fruits. This setup allows for a variety of seeds within one flower.
- Rose ( Rosa spp. ) : In roses, the carpels are also separate, creating individual ovaries. This can be seen in rose hips, which are aggregate fruits made up of many small fruits, each coming from a different carpel.
- Strawberry ( Fragaria spp .) : Strawberries have an apocarpous ovary structure where each tiny seed on the strawberry's surface is actually an individual fruit that developed from a separate carpel. This gives strawberries their unique appearance.
Syncarpous Ovary Examples
- Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) : The tomato plant has a syncarpous ovary, where the carpels are fused together to form one compound ovary. This results in a single fruit with many seeds inside, which is common in fleshy fruits.
- Mustard ( Brassica spp. ) : In mustard plants, the carpels are fused to create a single ovary. This syncarpous structure leads to a siliqua, a type of fruit that splits open to release seeds when it matures.
- Petunia ( Petunia spp. ) : Petunias also have syncarpous ovaries, with fused carpels forming a single ovary. This structure helps develop a capsule fruit that contains multiple seeds.
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