Each organ of a living organism performs its vital function. The anatomy of flowering plants will help us understand their specialization. The fetus is not in this row last place.
Generative organs
All parts of plants can be combined into two groups. Vegetative ones include root, stem and leaf. Their role is important. These are water intake, mineral nutrition, synthesis of organic substances, vegetative propagation. Generative organs (flower, fruit, seed) are called upon to play the role of reproduction of organisms.
What is the function of the fetus in the plant? To answer this question, you must first understand its origin. The fetus is formed only from certain parts of the flower: from the fertilized female germ cell - the embryo, from the central - the reserve nutrient endosperm. All together it is a seed. But for germination and development, the future tiny organism needs reliable protection and additional nutrition. This important role is assigned to the pericarp, consisting of several membranes: outer, middle and inner. Each of them has its own characteristics, due to the functions performed.
What function does the fetus perform
By structure, the fruits are dry and juicy, single-seeded and multi-seeded. But, regardless of the characteristics, each in his own way “cares” for his seeds, performing the most important functions.
Seed distribution
What function the fetus performs can be considered not only from the perspective of protection, but also the distribution of seeds. And this is very important for the settlement of plants everywhere, increasing their species diversity.
The methods of seed distribution are diverse and depend on the structural features of the pericarp. For example, the well-known mad cucumber spreads seeds by itself, breaking through a leathery peel. Similarly, balsam fruits crack when touched.
A reliable helper in the spread of plants is the wind. Lionfish of maple and ash are easily picked up by air currents and transported over fairly long distances. In general, most open, dry fruits spread their seeds that way.
In many steppe plants, the shoot dries out at the base, breaks off, and is also carried by the wind. Thus, a spherical tumbleweed bush travels across the steppe.
The prickly and tenacious fruits of burdock often have to be torn off the clothes or hair of pets. This is their adaptation to resettlement. After all, you can find a thorn on yourself at a considerable distance from the place of attachment.
Aquatic plants spread their seeds adrift.
Well, juicy fruits with a bright pericarp are traditionally a favorite treat not only of humans, but of many birds and animals. Together with undigested food debris, the seeds fall into the soil far from the mother tree.
Seed protection
Fruits, like a safe house, help seeds survive adverse environmental conditions. And with the onset of heat and the presence of a sufficient amount of solar energy - to sprout, giving life to a new plant organism.
Of course, not all parts of the plants are tasty and edible. For example, what is the function of the fruit nut? Its lignified shell is not eaten, does not have valuable nutritional qualities. But with such protection, the oil-rich nut seed easily lies in the ground in autumn and winter. And in the spring it will give rise to the future hazel.
Tasty and healthy
But for most of us, fruits are associated with a tasty and healthy product that is widely used. A person preserves fruits and berries, pickles vegetables, grinds and adds spicy seeds to various dishes as a seasoning. From the fruits of cereal plants get flour, without which it is impossible to bake bread. A lot of valuable oils are squeezed from the dried fruits of corn, sunflower, soy, flax.
Fruits and seeds are also used in various industries. Natural fabrics are made from cotton, allowing you to feel comfortable even in unbearable heat.
And in the period of colds, strawberries, raspberries and viburnum simply can not do. They are rich in vitamin C, which supports human immunity.
In nature, there are a lot of poisonous fruits. Belena causes vomiting and dizziness, elderberry - diarrhea, yew bumps - a violation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The plant has a black eye all parts are poisonous. Berries are traditionally the most dangerous because they have an attractive appearance. Especially often children enjoy it. But in no case can this be done, because it can even lead to cardiac arrest.
We examined what function the fetus performs as a generative organ of plants. It plays a crucial role for the body itself, for its resettlement and animal nutrition. But most of all it is used by people, eating whole and processed parts of fruits.