What fruit will be multi-seeded? Fruit types: table
Who among us does not love juicy and sweet fruits? They are a favorite delicacy 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.
The structure of the fetus
The fruit is a modified flower and the result of its vital activity. Its most important 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 the same plant have the same type of fruit. But there are also exceptions to this rule. For example, polyspermic hygrophila, depending on the species, can form either a box or a drupe.
Fruit classification
The fruits are very varied. Their classification is based on two features: the number of seeds and the type of pericarp. What are the types of fruits? The table will help us deal with this issue.
Dry fruits in some plants can open on their own (larkspur leaflet), while in others they are not capable of this (sunflower achene). Such plants are otherwise adapted to seed dispersal. For example, the winged birch nut is easily carried by the wind due to the presence of special outgrowths of the pericarp.
single-seeded fruits
If the fruit has one seed, as a rule, it is well protected from adverse environmental influences.
The cherry seed is covered with a stone on the outside. Often it is not so easy to split it, it is so strong. Remember what peach and plum pits look like. This is a real protection for the embryo of the plant. The juicy pulp of the drupe is the food 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.
Zemlyanichina
The fruits of strawberries and wild 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.
Apple
Let us consider the structure of a fetus of this type using the example of a plant of the same name. The leathery outer layer, the juicy inner layer and the membranous chambers in which the seeds are located 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 the seeds from temperature extremes and lack of moisture. And thanks to the valuable taste qualities, fruits of this type are actively distributed by many animals.
polydrupe
This type clearly illustrates which fruit will be multi-seeded. To understand its structure, let's remember what a drupe is. This fruit inside has an ossified inner layer of the pericarp. All representatives form them. These are plum, cherry, cherry plum, peach, sweet cherry and many others. Often a drupe is a collection of small fruits. A typical example is the raspberry, which is often referred to as a berry.
box
Let's move on to dry fruits. Most of them are drop-down. So, the box can have several nests. When ripe, the fruit opens, and the seeds are outside. They are usually quite small and light, so they are often carried by the wind. Most boll plants grow in soil. But the multi-seeded hygrophila prefers the water element or conditions of high humidity.
The box opens differently. Poisonous henbane opens the lid, fragrant violet cracks, and noble carnation forms teeth.
Bean
From the name of this type of fruit also comes the name of the whole family - legumes. This fruit opens on both sides. In this case, the seeds during this process remain on the valves. Acacia, alfalfa, soybeans, peanuts, sweet clover, peas and beans are well-known representatives of legumes.
Pod
This type of fruit is very similar to a bean. But that's just outside. If you open the pod, the seeds will not remain on the valves, but on a vertical partition in the middle of the fruit. This is the main difference. The pod is typical for mustard, cabbage, horseradish, radish. What fruit will be multi-seeded? For example, the one called the pod. Isn't it similar names? Indeed, it is a kind of pod, from which it differs only in size. Lunaria are examples of plants with this type of fruit.
Leaflet
It is also a multi-seeded dry fruit. Its owners are larkspur and aconite. In general, its structure is similar to a bean. But the leaflet opens only on one side.
What is infertility
Many plants have small, inconspicuous flowers. Alone, they would not be visible to 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 is he who initially attracts animals. In aquatic plants, the seeds are carried by the current for many kilometers from the place of flowering of the species. Many fruits form special outgrowths on their surface, which also contribute to their spread. A prime example is feather grass. Its fruit has a sharp shaft and characteristic clinging hairs.
Flower and fruit are indispensable adaptations of flowering plants, thanks to which they were able to occupy a dominant position in the system of the plant world on Earth.
