Types of Fruit Characteristics, Classification and more

  • Fruits are plant organs that protect and help in the dispersal of seeds.
  • They are classified into dried fruits and fleshy fruits, each with different characteristics.
  • Fruits can be monospermous, with a single seed, or polyspermous, with multiple seeds.
  • Seed dispersal occurs through various mechanisms, including animals, wind and water.

Meet in this post, the types of fruits that exist, do not stay without knowing and obtaining the necessary knowledge about this very interesting topic, here you will be able to find the pertinent information about the characteristics of the fruits and much more. Come with us!

What are the fruits?

The fruits in general terms are considered a kind of organ which derives or originates from a plant specifically. It can come from the entire extension of the plant, as well as from a small part of it. Specifically, the organ through which the fruits are derived is in charge of ensuring the protection of the seed that must progressively mature.

The fruit, in general, is one of the most recognized elements in the plant kingdom, since they come from living organisms such as flowers or from a large area of ​​vegetation suitable for their production. It should be noted that not all plants have the great quality of producing fruits. For this reason, a very select part remains under this splendid and productive mechanism for human beings.

Throughout this post, we will dedicate ourselves to expose, the types of fruits currently existing, trying to express in detail the importance of these, their characteristics and many more elements that will surely be of your complete interest.

How is the fruit formed?

This is one of the questions that you surely need to clear up, information that is not commonly handled by the population. It is really very interesting to obtain some data about the formation of the fruits. Here are some considerations in this regard:

For the process of fruit formation, it is necessary to mention and highlight that the beginning of its existence is carried out from the fertilization of the ovule, once this event materializes, the ovary of the plant tends to conceive a really hardened resistance, action that indicates that the fruit has begun to form successfully.

How are the types of fruits formed?

On the other hand, the pericarp also intervenes in this process of fruit formation, which begins to be considered one of the parts of the fruit, which in turn, is also made up of other elements that are truly important, which are:

  • Pericarp, is defined as a kind of layer called external fruit
  • Mesocarp is defined as the middle layer that contains the fruit
  • Endocarp is defined as that inner layer whose function is to protect the seed

In the following sections, we will be talking about the classification of the fruits taking into account the type of seed that emerges from it.

Classification of the fruits

The classification of the fruits has an immense relationship with the style or type of pericarp that is present, finding only 2 large fruits of which we will be speaking in more detail later. These two fruits are the following:

Nuts

This is one of the types of fruits more enriched, which you have surely managed to ingest on several occasions. In this, an extremely narrow pericarp style is observed, this is due to the few components it contains, taking into account that on many occasions it does not have any type of component.

Another aspect to highlight about nuts is the small portion or level of water they contain, even considering that this values ​​at least 45% of liquid content. It should be noted that these fruits, despite their low substantial content, do not go unnoticed. Since they are considered rich in minerals, thus being a food of high magnitude, since it is one of the most recommended by specialists, taking into account the great properties it possesses.

types of nuts

fleshy fruits

This type of fruit is really abundant and of great weight, in the consumption of human beings on a regular basis. Unlike dried fruits, this type of fruit has a wide variety of components that are valued at around 49% liquid. Allowing this to be one of the types of fruits most consumed by the general population.

Types of fruits according to their characteristics

There is a great variety of fruits, which have been classified thanks to studies that have allowed us to observe their components. sayings types of fruits They have really specific characteristics that will help us to locate ourselves in the type of fruit that we find. To next, some of them:

oily fruits

They are represented by a large amount of fats, therefore, it does not mean that they are oblivious to good flavors, on the contrary, they have a wide variety of rich vitamins, among the most common fruits of this class we usually find the following:

  • Olives
  • Nut
  • Pistachios
  • Almonds
  • Hazelnuts

Undoubtedly, olives are the first to head this list of fruits with high percentages of fat, it is one of the most valued groups of fruits worldwide, which can be consumed with some foods, as well as alone for greater enjoyment. of its properties.

monospermous fruit

It is one of the most peculiar fruits, taking into account that these contain only one seed, the mango is one of the clear examples that we can mention in this category.

types of monospermous fruits

Polyspermous fruit represents one of the most abundant fruits in nature, taking into account that these are made up of a variety of seeds, among which we can mention the following:

  • Orange
  • Pin
  • Tangerine
  • Grapes
  • Guava
  • passion fruit
  • Lemon

Classification of the fruits according to whether or not they expel the seeds

This type of fruit has the ability to open, in order to extract its seeds directly, without the need for any external action. This action can be found or referred to as dehiscent as well as indehiscent. Perhaps, this qualifier is completely new to you, but commonly, there is a wide variety of these types of fruits.  This classification has the following fruits that stand out according to their more general characteristics, among which we find:

  • simple suture

The carpelar seam plays a very important role with regard to the posture of the fruit, causing it to open normally.

  • double suture

Functionally, these types of fruit usually open along the longitudinal aspects, finding an escape route in what is called the midvein.

  • septic

It refers to the fruits that separate their septa that allude to walls.

  • loculicide

It is related to the beginning of the detachment of the seed, where the nerve that interrelates with the carpels intervenes

  • Septifrage

The dispossession of the seeds is carried out thanks to the septa, which is located at another end that is parallel to the frontal area of ​​the fruit.

  • placenticide

It is related to the opening of the fruit, from the placentas to the most extensive of this

  • placentriphagous

With this option, it has been observed that some marks are evident that allude to a kind of groove that is created in the middle of the proximity of the placenta.

  • poricide

It has to do with the fruits that in one way or another have a number of holes, through which the escape is achieved, or the eviction of the seeds that accompany the fruit.

  • Transversal

Its transversal shape defines the escape of the seeds independently of any action

  • Dental

Thanks to the separation of some well-known elements such as carpels, some teeth are formed.

Mechanisms used by fruits to grow and germinate

There are various mechanisms used by plants that have the agility to produce fruits. It is taken into account that in addition to the fruits being consumed by human beings, they are also easily accessible for consumption by animals. Thanks to this fact, animals have the ability to spread the seeds of the ingested fruit. How is this possible? It is the question that arises, very easily, once the fruit is ingested, the seeds are not disintegrated within the animal's organism.

Thanks to this wonderful effect, when defecating animals begin to spread the seeds on completely fertile land. From which the process of scattering seeds on fertile land is released. However, there are other fertilization and germination mechanisms that plants carry out to disperse seeds in the environment. Therefore, it is interpreted that this process is not only carried out through animals, but that other environmental factors contribute to this completely natural task.

Among these extremely important tasks, we find the intervention of the air in regard to the germination of seeds on solid ground. Managing to contribute positively, in these evolutionary aspects regarding the implantation of seeds, to later obtain favorable results, converted and transformed into fruits.

At present, man also contributes constantly, in the work of cultivating the fruits, or properly speaking, of the plants that naturally produce fruits, of which we must emphasize that many of these processes are accelerated, so that the obtaining of fruits in less time, the production is high, and greater profit is developed.

types of fruits and their mechanisms to germinate

In these times, man carries out the cultivation of certain plants, in order to take advantage of the natural resources that manifest themselves in fruits, for their commercialization and effective profit. For this reason, an accelerated cultivation of plants with different types of fruits is generated, which are really enriched, and good for the health of the human being.

Shape and size of the types of fruits

Among the great variety of fruits that exist in nature, it should be noted that each one of them has completely different shapes in terms of their characteristics and description, it should be noted that each of the fruit species are usually characterized thanks to the great diversity of fruits that these species contain.

As far as the dimensions are concerned, this of course will depend on its entire context, on the types of fruits that are observed, this being a completely versatile term. Therefore, we can highlight that the dimensions do not have a stereotype, or standard size for all cases, since we can find fruits with large dimensions, such as the sideburn, and in turn of small dimensions, such as the case of sucker.

Parts of the flower after fertilization

It is important to talk about the parts of the flower, since it is precisely the plants that are responsible for producing the fruits that we commonly find in the market, ready for human consumption. On many occasions we ignore the process by which plants produce for fertilization or production of their fruits. In this section, we invite you to learn a little about this interesting process.

Many angiosperm plants have a type of double fertilization, an effect that allows the plants to achieve the detachment of some characteristic areas of their parts. On the other hand, there is also the existence of those plants capable of producing peregrine, an effect that alludes to the non-detachment of the plants, a fact that contributes to the development of the fleshy fruits in their majority.

For its part, the stamen represents one of the most important parts of the plant, taking into account that it usually falls with regularity, effect, or action that allows the fruit to develop immediately, since around it a kind of fleshy substance, which represents a fundamental element in the growth of some fruits such as apples as well as strawberries.

One of the parts that plays a fundamental role in the production of the fruits are the ovaries, which tend to be the first participants in the production of the fruits that the plant develops. Following this, a number of elements or parts are also usually found that also make its formation possible, taking into account that the ovary is not solitary.

There are many plant species that have various fruit production mechanisms, one of these mechanisms is commonly called gynoecium, which obtains a fairly complete structure and function to ensure that the fruit is formed in a concrete and consistent way.

Certain plants have the privilege of having bracts, which are usually observed in the fruit, a certain structure can be evidenced in the leaves of the respective plant. This characteristic is manifested in certain fruits such as the hazelnut itself. On the other hand, it is taken into account that the walls that contain the fruit, as we mentioned in the previous sections, allow them to be classified into two categories, which are called dry fruits and fleshy fruits.

In the case of nuts, as we have mentioned before, they have the characteristic of containing a type of completely dead cell, which allows their appearance and morphology to contain a moderately considerable dryness. As is known, this type of fruit maintains a structure called pericarp.

Thanks to this structure, the fleshy-type fruits manage to obtain a fairly advanced conservation, this is because the pericarp fulfills a really important function, in which, depending on the different layers it contains, it achieves that the fruit is preserved in a state healthy, mainly keeping the cells fully vitalized. This is the case of one of the most common citrus fruits, such as the orange.

Fruit functions

This represents one of the points of great importance regarding the types of fruits and their characteristics, taking into account that the function they fulfill is really important for the growth process of the seeds it contains, in addition to allowing another series of healthy mechanisms which we will be talking about later.

Along with this, it should be noted that the fruits have a really interesting dispersion mechanism. Since, like plants, these have different types of development. The coconut, for example, has a rather peculiar type of development, this being a process that falls on hydrochory. Taking into account that the fruits are dispersed through water, a medium that is completely satisfactory to germinate successfully.

However, the origin of these is not as relevant as the formation of the fruits, said formation tends to be classified into three stages or forms, which are called:

  • Containment and protection of the respective seeds during their growth.
  •  Achieve the contribution regarding the spreading of the seeds
  • When it matures, it must attract different animals that contribute to the propagation of the respective seeds.

As such the seeds manage to contribute in certain aspects. Taking into account that the fruit contributes with a really important aspect, since this gives it a kind of execution called dissemination, this process being an element that has great importance, as it contributes to the protection of the seeds, preventing them from being dispersed. incorrectly.

With this, the plant achieves the effect that the seeds do not disperse, taking into account that the dispersion must only be carried out from the original plant, that is, the mother. This is so that an effective and complete dispersion is achieved, which results in their spreading in various ecosystems, or environments.

As expected, seed dispersal is usually carried out in different ways. In the case of those fruits that are called anemochores, they tend to use certain environmental mechanisms, even using the air current for their effective dispersion. Another of the mechanisms used by various species of fruit-producing plants are the well-known zoochores.

Those who have the ability to use certain animals that, thanks to their nature, tend to disperse the seeds in a very consistent way, reaching at least two fruit multiplication mechanisms, taking into account that one of these mechanisms used by the fruits , is to adhere to the fur of animals, the other mechanism is carried out when the animal ingests the fruit, and this, in turn, is processed to finally be excreted.

Through this excretion that the animal performs, the seeds are expelled, to later be planted in various spaces that have fertile land for healthy growth and reproduction. Many of these fruits are usually of great proportion, with quite fleshy aspects, with a very attractive liquid and juicy portion.

On the other hand, there are other forms of dispersion that occur, thanks to the effects of water, some fruits tend to use this resource, since through it, the transfer of the fruits that manage to float on the surface is achieved, this is the case of coconuts.

types of fruits and their functions

In the case of legumes, these are called fruits that manage to carry out other types of mechanisms that allow the expulsion of their seeds effectively, taking into account that these are removed thanks to a generator or agent that contributes to said expulsion. In other conditions, there are plants that manage to obtain the dispersion of the fruits in a different way, it is the case of the heterocarpy species, which contain completely different fruits.

Evolution of the types of fruits

The types of fruits have evolved over time and the different periods have passed, for their part the fruits contain a quite interesting evolution, which is conditioned by a series of effects that in one way or another have affected their formation and evolutionary form. , obviously to improve more and more.

As in many aspects, components and living beings, the fruits have an evolutionary time, within which they managed to overcome some barriers that kept them isolated in some ways. Flowers have been able to adapt to certain environments, which contributes to the evolution of some types of fruit. As we know, within the environment, there is a natural mechanism called pollination. This effect is about transporting the pollen and spreading it in different places or surroundings.

The great diversity of the types of fruits, existing today, is due to the great changes produced specifically in the Cretaceous period, these changes were produced by a kind of trigger or explosion that brought with it a rapid performance and dispersion of the action that we now know as pollination.

Therefore, the angiosperms managed to evolve progressively thanks to the various environmental conditions that arose during the stage better known as the Cretaceous, after which the different types of fruits began to reproduce rapidly, which were promoted and dispersed by all the planet.

On the other hand, most of the fruits that achieved their effective dispersion were angiosperms. In addition, we must highlight that those that were found for the first time date back at least almost 100 million years. Relatively, the specimens found in the fossil state have been named and characterized, under dry fruits that evidently did not have the different expressions and dispersal actions.

Regarding some investigations, it can be observed that the respective evolution of the fruits was carried out in conjunction with the incredible evolution of the animals, taking into account that these evolved with respect to the aspect of their morphology, among these animals we can mention the birds , and a large number of mammals. Being these, mainly, one of the first agents that allowed the great dispersion of the seeds for the later germination.

However, the great dispersion of fruits at present from the different types of fruits fleshy that exist, was carried out during the course of the Cretaceous. Another of the hypotheses that are handled today is the evolution of the fruits through the different environmental conditions by which the planet was affected, which resulted in the large proportion of fruits existing today.

Environments in which the types of fruits usually develop

Those plants that have the fortune to produce large types of fruits, usually remain inhabiting certain areas provided with forests, mostly in the tropical forest, in the case of climates that have a much smaller ecosystem of land. , however, the seeds tend to develop in a more reduced but effective way, this also thanks to the Types of trees

In the case of the seeds that have a smaller size, they remain quite benefited, thanks to the comfort of the different types of temperature, and in turn of the climate characteristics. As for the seeds that contain a relatively large size, they manage to adapt to the much more extreme climates of the forests that contain high humidity, which counts as a really important event for their healthy reproduction.

The abundance of those fruits was achieved thanks to various animals that contributed to the spread of seeds throughout the world, mainly bats and of course, some Types of birds. Who, thanks to their eating habits, were ingesting the seeds for their subsequent germination.

Another of the most interesting data on the production of the types of fruits is evidenced in the wooded areas that have completely warm climates, since in this type of vegetation or wooded area, a great variety of animal species are usually found, capable of to process the fruits continuously, since these are an essential part of their diet.

Types of fruits suitable for human consumption

There is a wide variety of fruits that are generally the most common because they are highly consumed worldwide, taking into account that these are regularly considered of great importance in the diet of human beings, since most of them provide a large amount of nutrients to the body.

Magnolids

It refers to the types of plants that produce avocados and in turn avocado, also in them, there is the existence of soursop cultivation.

Monocotyledonous

It has the production of coconuts, as well as venturing into the reproduction of cambur and banana, as well as pineapple.

Grasses

It is one of the best known plants at a general level, thanks to the fact that it stands out for the production of corn, barley, oat flakes, wheat,

Eudicots

This plant is classified thanks to the production of not so common fruits, such as the prickly pear.

licks

It ventures into the production of black or brown seeds, better known as coffee, it also ventures into the production of oily and juicy fruits, such as olives, tomatoes, as well as in the development of chili and paprika.

Lucuma

It develops the production of the kiwi as well as the blueberry.

rosids

It has the production of grapes, accompanied by the malvids, the pomegranate, in addition to producing other common fruits, such as mango, and citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, tangerine. Among others. In this plant you can also see the production of cocoa, papaya

Fables

Equivalent to the production of granadilla, and passion fruit

Legumes

It could not be missing from our list of types of fruit, it produces certain really important fruits, which are peanuts and peanuts, two super delicious combinations. It adjusts the production of beans, lentils, soybeans, and peas.

 Moraceae

In charge of the production of blackberries and figs.

Rosacea

It maintains the production of raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, cherries, plums, peaches, apples, pears and finally almonds.

 fagales

It is responsible for the fruiting of hazelnuts, walnuts, and pecans.

Cucurbits

The production of pumpkins, melons, watermelons and, in turn, cucumbers remain low.

 Conclusions

We have reached the end of our long journey through the world of the types of fruits, through which, in this post, we are able to offer you some extremely interesting data regarding the characteristics of the types of fruits that exist at a general level, taking into account in turn, the various topics of interest about its production, reproduction, creation, among other relevant data.

We have known, each one of the parts that manage to contribute in a special way, in the creation and existence of the fruits, we studied the habitat where the plants that have the capacity to produce diverse types of fruits that usually grow and reproduce effectively.

In turn, we learned some characteristics of dry and fleshy fruits, their morphology, growth, parts, germination, and more. We hope that this article has enough information to meet the expectations of the reader.


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