Read the statement and answer the questions that follow:
A flower of brinjal has 520 ovules in its ovary. However, it produces a fruit with only 480 viable seeds.
a) Describe the development of a dicot embryoy in a viable seed
b) Why certain angiospermic seeds are albuminous while others are exalbuminous? Explain.

Explanation

a) A typical dicotyledonous embryo, consists of an embryonal axia and two cotyledons. The portion of embryonal axis above the level of cotyledons is the epicotyl, which terminates with the plumule or stem tip.
The cylindrical portion below the level of cotyledons is hypocotyl that terminates at its lower end in the radicle or root tip. The root tip is covered with a root cap.
b) The cotyledons of the embryo are simple structures, generally thick and swollen due to storage of food resves (as in legumes) mature seeds may be non-albuminous or ex-albuminous. Non-albuminous seeds have no residual endosperm as its is completely consumed during embryo development (e.g. pea, groundnut).
Albuminous seeds retain a part of endosperm as it is not completely used up during embryo development (e.g. wheat, maize, barley, castor).