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The Parts of a Pear
The Parts of a Pear. Pears, like apples, are members of the rose family, Rosaceae. Members of this family have fleshy fruits, known in botanical circles as pomes. The major parts of the pear are the core, the hypanthium and the stalk.
Pears, like apples, are members of the rose family, Rosaceae. Members of this family have fleshy fruits, known in botanical circles as pomes. The major parts of the pear are the core, the hypanthium and the stalk.
Core
The pear's core is the seed-bearing ovary of the fruit. Surrounding the numerous seeds is the ovary wall. Although the ovary wall is edible, its texture is a bit thick and dry. When you core a pear, you remove both the ovary wall and the seeds.
Hypanthium
The part of the pear that you eat is the hypanthium. In pears, this structure is referred to as accessory tissue because it is not part of the actual ovary. A pear's hypanthium contains numerous stone cells with thick walls. These cells give the pear its unique, grainy texture. The skin is part of the hypanthium.
Stalk
The stalk connects the fruit to the tree and supports the leaves. This part of the fruit is not edible.
Differences with Other Fruits
With many other fruits such as lemons and peaches, the edible portion is part of the ovary or pericarp. However, with pears, the ovary is not edible.
