Any small, fleshy, edible fruit, usually with many seeds, is called a berry. A true berry is a simple fruit that develops from a single, entire ovary. An ovary is the part of a flower that contains what will become a seed or seeds of the plant. True berriesThere are three types of true berries. First, there are the smooth-skinned berries that are entirely edible, such as grapes, tomatoes, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, cranberries, and dates. Second, there are the elongated, many-seeded berries with a tough rind, or peel, such as bananas, cucumbers, watermelons, and other members of the gourd family. Third, there are the citrus fruits. These are round berries with a leathery rind, such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. Aggregate and multiple fruitsTo a botanist (person who studies plants), raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are not true berries. They are aggregate fruits, or fruits that consist of a number of smaller fruits. Aggregate fruits develop from several ovaries of a single flower. Fruits such as mulberries that develop from the ovaries of several flowers are classified as multiple fruits. |