Classification Systems For Fruits
There are many classification systems for fruit. They may be simple, fleshy, aggregate, or combination of all three. Depending on the type of flower, a fruit can be simple or complex. A simple or compound fruit may have a single ovary or multiple ovaries and many different carpels. A composite or multi-fruit is formed when several flowers merge. A berry is a simple fruit and contains many seeds. More complex fruits have many different ovaries, but are classified as a ‘complex’ fruit.
Multiple fruits develop from a cluster of flowers, called an inflorescence. Each flower develops a single fruitlet, which merges into a mass of fruit. Examples of multiple fruit include the pineapple, fig, Osage orange, breadfruit, and mulberry. The inflorescence of some plants may contain many seeds, so they may be a type of compound fruit. A multi-fruit plant will usually have a single head of white flowers that are folded along a median line. The margins of the leaf fold together, forming a connate organ with a row of ovules.
A fruit’s structure and composition depends on how it is dispersed. Some fruits are dispersed by animals, while others are dispersed by wind or water. Some fruits have a hook or spike that encloses the seed. Often, these are edible parts. Some of these parts include the pistils of many flowers. Moreover, they are not edible. These differences in structure and function lead to a variety of classification systems for fruits.
The classification system used by plant scientists is based on how they disperse their seeds. Some fruits are dispersed by animals, while others are dispersed by wind and water. Some fruits have a sterile outer covering that attracts pollinators. While these are important characteristics, they are not the only factor in classification systems. A good knowledge of the cellular structure of a fruit’s seeds determines whether the fruit is a’simple’ or a “complex’.
Besides the seed, the fruit may also have an inflorescence, which is an accumulation of multiple flowers. Each flower produces a single, fleshy fruitlet. Then the fruits merge to form a mass. Various examples of multiple fruits include pineapple, fig, breadfruit, and Osage orange. Similarly, some fruits have a head or inflorescence that includes white flowers. The head or inflorescence eventually produces the drupe, which then develops into a fleshy fruit.
A multiple fruit is formed from a cluster of flowers, called an inflorescence. Each flower produces one or more fruits, which merge to form a single mass. Some examples of this type of fruit are pineapple, fig, breadfruit, and mulberry. Some fruits have a head that consists of a cluster of white flowers called a drupe. Its outer parts are sterile, while the inner part is a pulpy, fleshy, or dry drupe.