The word drupe is one that is not commonly heard outside the realm of botany. However, it is a type of fruit that we have all seen more than once and that we would know how to recognize without much trouble.
If you want to learn more about the types of fruits that are classified as drupes, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we talk about what is a drupe, its characteristics and examples simple to better understand this concept used in botany.
What is a drupe in botany
In botany, it is known as drupe to the simple fruits whose mesocarp is of the fleshy, fibrous or leathery type and inside which is a woody endocarp, which we usually call bone. That is to say, simply and colloquially said, it is about those fruits, the majority fleshy, that contain a single bone (or maximum two) in its center. In addition, these fruits can be composed of one or more carpels.
We recommend you take a look at this other Green Ecologist article about the different types of fruits.
Characteristics of the drupe
It is common to refer to drupes as simply stone fruits. Despite their characteristics defined above, it is not always easy to differentiate drupes from berries. It is important to distinguish the drupe from a hesperidium, pommel or berry, the latter the most common of the simple fleshy fruits. Apart from those already mentioned, these are some of the drupe characteristics:
- Although they usually develop from a single carpel, there are drupes that come from inferior ovaries or syncarpic ovaries.
- On occasions when there may be more than one carpel, it may happen that each carpel develops its own endocarp and that, therefore, the fruit contains one bone for each carpel.
- It is a very varied family, in which we find so much fleshy fruits like nuts.
- It is characterized because its seeds are extraordinarily well protected by the very hard bone, which is often confused with the seed itself.
Here you can expand this knowledge by learning more about the Parts of the fruit and their functions.
Examples of drupes
There are many trees and plants with drupe, many of them being widely different from each other. Some, in fact, are very common species that an amateur would not think to relate, such as the peach and coconut trees. Let's see what are the main examples of plants with drupe:
- Peach tree
- Olive
- Coconut tree
- Almond
Peach tree
Also called peach, peach or Prunus persica it is probably the most representative tree in terms of drupe species. So much so, that in many cases it is called the drupes, in general, stone fruits precisely because of the peach.
It is a fruit tree that has its origin in China and gives rise to a sweet and very juicy fruit that is currently consumed in practically the whole world. It is a species of deciduous leaf, which grows to approximately 10 meters in height, although in fruit crops it is pruned lower to make its harvest easier.
The peach or peach is known for its properties in the fight against cholesterol, but it has a large number of beneficial properties for the human body. It is also very rich in vitamin A and flavonoids, which help prevent some heart diseases and ailments.
Olive
Its scientific name is Olea europaea And it is a tree that has been cultivated since the times of the ancient Egyptians. It has its origin in Asia Minor and has been traditionally cultivated in the mediterranean area, which is ideal for its climate and for the rusticity of the plant.
It is an evergreen tree with a life expectancy of hundreds and even thousands of years, although it only usefully produces fruit for the first few hundred, especially when young. They reach heights of between 2 and 10 meters although, as with many of these species, they are kept low on farms to facilitate harvesting.
Despite the great resistance of olive trees, when they are cultivated for his drupe, that is, their olives or olivesIt is important that it receives enough minerals and water before flowering, or it can be seriously affected, although the health of the tree is not. Olives are consumed in innumerable ways by themselves, in addition to being the ingredient from which the precious olive oil, basic in Mediterranean cuisine, is extracted.
Coconut tree
The scientific name of this palm tree is Cocos nucifera, which reaches impressive heights of up to 30 meters. It is a species typical of sandy beaches in the tropics, on the coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as those of the Caribbean Sea.
In addition to its striking appearance, the most remarkable thing about this palm is its drupe, the coconut, which is the largest seed that exists. Coconuts are not fleshy fruits, although their white endosperm is edible, as well as the water that the drupe contains, the water or the coconut milk.
Thanks to such elaborate protection, coconuts can travel enormous distances floating through the sea, to later reach the beaches and germinate on them without the slightest problem.
Almond
The Prunus dulcis or almond tree it is a deciduous tree native to Central Asia. It is a fruit tree valued not only for its drupe, the almond, but for its spectacular flowering. The flowers, white or pink in color, appear long before the leaves themselves, so all the branches of the tree are covered in that soft tone that gives it a unique appearance.
What is consumed from the fruit of almond trees, that is, its seed, is a widely known and widely used dry fruit in many cuisines, with a large number of beneficial properties for health. In gastronomy, it is used both as a dressing or in sauces and to make almond milk, an alternative to cow's milk.
If you want to read more articles similar to Drupa: what it is and features, we recommend that you enter our Biology category.
