Which of us does not like juicy and sweet fruits? They are a favorite treat not only for children but also for adults. Being a storehouse of vitamins and important trace elements, these parts of the plant are often the most valuable. How are they formed? What fruit will be multi-seeded? Why is a tomato a berry? You will find answers to these and other interesting questions in our article.
Fetal structure
The fruit is a modified flower and the result of its vital functions. Its main purpose is the formation and distribution of seeds. Outside they are reliably protected by the pericarp. It can be juicy or dry. But in any case, it consists of three layers: outer, middle and inner. Sometimes some of them grow together.
Usually all species of one plant have the fruit of the same type. But there are exceptions to this rule. For example, a multi-seeded hygrophil, depending on the species, can form either a box or a drupe.
Fruit classification
The fruits are very diverse. Their classification is based on two characteristics: the number of seeds and the type of pericarp. What types of fruits are there? The table will help us deal with this issue.
Number of seeds | Pericarp structure |
Single Seed Fruits | Multi-seed fruit | Juicy | Dry |
Drupe (plum) | Berry (gooseberry) | Apple (Quince) | Pod (cabbage) |
Grain (corn) | Bob (pea) | Mnogokostyanka (raspberry) | Pod (shepherdโs bag) |
Achene (sunflower) | Box (bleached) | Strawberry (strawberry) | Lionfish (ash) |
Dry fruits in some plants can be opened independently (leaflet in larkspur), while in others they are not capable of this (sunflower achene). Such plants are otherwise adapted to seed distribution. For example, the winged birch nut is easily tolerated by the wind due to the presence of special outgrowths of the pericarp.
Single Seed Fruits
If the fruit has one seed, as a rule, it is well protected from adverse environmental influences.
The seed of the cherry is covered with stone outside. Often it is not so easy to split, it is so durable. Remember how peach and plum bones look. This is a real protection for the germ of the plant. Juicy pulp of drupes is the nutrition of the future organism. In addition, during the processes of decay a large amount of heat is released, which provides the conditions for the development of the embryo.
In all members of the cereal family, the type of fetus is called a kernel. At first glance, her pericarp has no layers. In fact, its layers are tightly fused with each other and with the seed skin. Due to this structure, the fruit is often given a different name. Grain is called a seed. But in the achene, the pericarp layers fused together can be cleaned. Who doesn't like fragrant fried sunflower seeds? This is possible due to the fact that the pericarp does not grow together with the seed peel, unlike the weevil. This type of fetus is also characteristic of asters and marigolds.
Multi-seed fruit
This type is represented in nature quite widely. Indeed, due to the large number of seeds, the chances of a plant to spread and germinate are greatly increased. However, their size is much smaller. Multi-seeded dried fruits are most often expandable. So, the multi-seeded hygrophil has a box that is cracked by two wings.
Juicy multi-seeded fruits are produced by representatives of many plant families of important economic importance.
Berry
Potatoes, peppers, physalis, tomato - nightshade. All of them form such a type of fruit as a berry. Its pericarp is represented by the outer skin layer and the juicy middle and inner. Inside there are many small seeds. Not all berries are suitable for consumption. They are poisonous in dope and bleached, and inedible in potatoes. However, mainly fruit crops are widely grown and used by humans. These are cranberries, black and red currants, gooseberries, blueberries and many others.
Pumpkin
What fruit will be multi-seeded, consider the following type of example. Melon, squash, pumpkin, luffa, cucumber - representatives of the pumpkin family, which got their name due to the type of fruit of the same name. It is dense, bright orange, with a characteristic pattern of the outer layer. The inner layer is juicy, contains a large amount of water, in which very useful substances are dissolved.
In a pumpkin, for example, there is a lot of vitamin A, which is so necessary for the development of a normal human vision. A similar type of fruit has a watermelon, which is often mistakenly called the largest berry.
Strawberry
The fruits of strawberries and strawberries have a characteristic structure: dry nuts are immersed in a juicy and fleshy receptacle. This type is called strawberry. The fruits of these plants contain a large amount of vitamin C, which helps maintain immunity.
An Apple
The structure of the fruit of this type will be considered with the example of the plant of the same name. The leathery outer layer, the juicy inner and membranous chambers in which the seeds are located โ these are its characteristic features. Quince and pear have the same type of fruit. And in mountain ash they are called "apples" because of their small size.
Such a strong and tasty pericarp reliably protects seeds from temperature extremes and lack of moisture. And thanks to the valuable taste, fruits of this type are actively distributed by many animals.
Multi-worker
This type clearly illustrates which fruit will be multi-seeded. To understand its structure, let's recall what is drupe. This fruit inside has a ossified inner layer of the pericarp. All representatives of the family Rosaceae form them. This plum, cherry, cherry plum, peach, cherry and many others. Drupe is often a collection of small fruits. A typical example is raspberries, often called a berry.
Box
We pass to dry fruits. Most of them are drop-down. So, a box can have several nests. When ripening, the fruit opens, and the seeds are outside. They are usually quite small and light, so they are often carried by the wind. Most boxed plants grow in the soil. But the multi-seed hygrophil prefers the water element or conditions of high humidity.
The box is opened differently. Poisonous bleached opens the lid, fragrant violet - cracked, and a noble clove - forms cloves.
Bean
The name of this type of fruit also derives the name of a whole family - legumes. Such a fruit is revealed from two sides. In this case, the seeds remain on the valves during this process. Acacia, alfalfa, soy, peanuts, sweet clover, peas and beans are all well-known representatives of legumes.
Pod
This type of fruit is very similar to bean. But it is only outside. If you open the pod, the seeds will not remain on the wings, but on the vertical partition in the middle of the fruit. This is the main difference. The pod is characteristic of mustard, cabbage, horseradish, radish. What fruit will be multi-seeded? For example, one called a pod. Aren't they similar names? Indeed, it is a kind of pod, from which it differs only in size. Examples of plants with this type of fruit are the shepherd's bag and lunaria.
Leaflet
It is also a multi-seeded dry fruit. Its owners are liveliness and aconite. In general, its structure is similar to a bean. But the leaflet is revealed only on one side.
What is fertility
Many plants have small, nondescript flowers. Alone, they would not be noticeable by insects. Therefore, in nature there is a certain adaptation: small flowers are collected in inflorescences. There are cases when the fruits in such formations grow together. This phenomenon can be seen in pineapple, fig or mulberry. They have fertility.
Small and light fruits are easily spread by the wind, juicy and tasty - by animals and birds. Such plant organs always have a bright outer layer of the pericarp. It was he who initially attracted animals. In aquatic plants, the seeds carry the course for many kilometers from the place of flowering species. Many fruits form special outgrowths on their surface, which also contribute to their distribution. A vivid example is feather grass. Its fruit has a sharp rod and characteristic clinging hairs.
The flower and fruit are indispensable devices of flowering plants, thanks to which they were able to occupy a dominant position in the system of the plant world on Earth.