Multiple fruit

Multiple fruit
Mulberry is a kind of multiple fruit.

Multiple fruits are fruits that are formed from a cluster of flowers (called an inflorescence). Each flower in the inflorescence produces a fruit, but these mature into a single mass.[1] Examples are the pineapple, fig, mulberry, osage-orange, and breadfruit.

In some plants, such as this noni, flowers are produced regularly along the stem and it is possible to see together examples of flowering, fruit development, and fruit ripening

In the photograph on the left, stages of flowering and fruit development in the noni or Indian mulberry (Morinda citrifolia) can be observed on a single branch. First an inflorescence of white flowers called a head is produced. After fertilization, each flower develops into a drupe, and as the drupes expand, they become connate (merge) into a multiple fleshy fruit called a syncarp. There are also many dry multiple fruits.

Other examples of multiple fruits:

  • Platanus, teasel, Asteraceae multiple achenes from multiple flowers, in a single fruit structure
  • Mulberry, multiple flowers form one fruit
  • Common Fig, multiple flowers form one fruit (inside the fruit)

Similar structures are formed from single flowers that have more than one pistil, and these are called aggregate fruits, e.g.:

  • Strawberry, aggregate of achenes on a fleshy receptacle
  • Tuliptree, aggregate of samaras.
  • Sweet gum, aggregate of capsules.
  • Magnolia, aggregate of follicles.

See also

References

  1. ^ Schlegel. Encyclopedic Dictionary. p. 282. http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1560229500&id=7J-3fD67RqwC&pg=PA282&lpg=PA282&vq=Multiple+fruit&dq=acarpous&sig=mnPOH-HP-2Ow6lX916y7uf_9Zzo. 
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Types of fruits
Achene · Berry · Capsule · Caryopsis · Drupe · Follicle · Hesperidium · Legume · Loment · Nut · Pome · Samara · Schizocarp · Silique · Syconium
Categories of fruits
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • multiple fruit — n. a false fruit formed by a fused cluster of the ovaries of several flowers, as a pineapple or mulberry * * * …   Universalium

  • multiple fruit — n. a false fruit formed by a fused cluster of the ovaries of several flowers, as a pineapple or mulberry …   English World dictionary

  • multiple fruit — Collective Col*lect ive, a. [L. collectivus: cf. F. collectif.] 1. Formed by gathering or collecting; gathered into a mass, sum, or body; congregated or aggregated; as, the {collective} body of a nation. Bp. Hoadley. [1913 Webster] 2. Deducing… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • multiple fruit — n. fruit that is composed of many individual small fruits; fruit in which the carpels of various flowers join in one fruit …   English contemporary dictionary

  • multiple fruit — noun fruit consisting of many individual small fruits or drupes derived from separate ovaries within a common receptacle: e.g. blackberry; raspberry; pineapple • Syn: ↑aggregate fruit, ↑syncarp • Derivationally related forms: ↑syncarpous (for:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • multiple fruit — noun A fruit that develops from the fusion of carpels from more than one flower, as for instance, a pineapple …   Wiktionary

  • multiple fruit — noun Botany a fruit formed from carpels derived from several flowers, such as a pineapple …   English new terms dictionary

  • Fruit — For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). Several culinary fruits …   Wikipedia

  • Fruit anatomy — Longitudinal section of female flower of squash (courgette), showing ovary, ovules, pistil, and petals. Fruit anatomy is the internal structure of fruit, the mature ovary or ovaries from one or more flowers. In fleshy fruits, the outer and often… …   Wikipedia

  • Fruit salad tree — A fruit salad tree is a plant that produces a variety of fruits on one tree. To create this tree, multiple cultivars of various fruits are grafted to a single rootstock. Fruit salad trees can simultaneously grow a number of fruits from multiple… …   Wikipedia

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