The wall of a mature fruit, derived from the ovary wall, that surrounds and protects the seeds. It consists of three layers: exocarp (outer), mesocarp (middle), and endocarp (inner).
From Greek 'peri' (around) and 'karpos' (fruit), meaning 'around the fruit.' The term was coined in the 18th century as botanists developed systematic descriptions of fruit anatomy and structure.
The pericarp is like a three-layer security system for seeds - the outer layer might be waxy (like apple skin), the middle could be juicy (like peach flesh), and the inner layer might be rock-hard (like a peach pit)!
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