What are berries, characteristics, types and examples

What are berries, characteristics, types and examples

By Dr. Kyle Muller

Did you know that tomato and cucumber are berries? Yes, in fact, there are a wide variety of them in the plant. The berries, those that we normally relate to fruits of shrubs and small plants, are a fleshy type widely used by its energy value or medicinal properties. For example, surely you know the famous Goji berries and their benefits. Well, these and other berries are the ones we want to present in this short Ecology article about What are berries, their characteristics, types and examples.

Our intention is to encourage you to know more about them, where the berries grow and what are their main characteristics so that you can distinguish them from a single glance and value them as one of the gifts that Mother Nature offers us. Do you dare to know a little more about these fruits?

What are berries

The term is used berry To name a fleshy typewhich has pulp. This protects the seed throughout the maturation stage until the moment in which it is dispersed thanks to the action of other animals, hence the vast majority of them are edible.

The berry formation process begins when the flower is fertilized. At that same moment the wall of the ovary begins to create a fleshy pericarpus whose function is to protect the seed. As this finishes maturing the seeds or seeds will be distributed along the pulp.

Here you can learn more about the different types of fruits.

What are berries, characteristics, types and examples - What are berries

Characteristics of berries

These are the main characteristics of berries:

  • The main characteristic of berries is their coloration and their bright appearance. They are undoubtedly some of the most striking fruits present in the plant world. The main reason for this aspect is to get the attention of animals that help expand them through their feces, since the seeds that are rarely digest.
  • This type of fruit is usually small, but depending on the variety they can reach a size greater than other parts of the plant, as with tomatoes and cucumbers, which despite their different appearance are also among the different varieties of berries.
  • The berries are very fleshy and intense flavor fruits. This is because once the flower is fertilized, a fleshy layer is created around the wall that surrounds the seed and is distributed throughout the pulp of the fruit.
  • The vast majority of them are a source of vitamins and sugars, although other medicinal properties have recently been discovered in different varieties of berries. In other cases, berries can be highly poisonous and harmful to both human and other animals.
  • Finally, other common characteristics of berries are where they grow. The berries grow in shrubs and plants that need rich soils and a semi -shade place to better conserve moisture. They need constant irrigation so that the fruits grow and remain juicy during as long as possible.

Types of berries and examples

There are many Varieties of berriessuch as classic berries, polyibayas or multiple berries, pets, typical of the family of the cucurbitaceae, and the modified berries:

  • As Classic berries Species such as grapes or tomato are known.
  • In the case of Polybayas We talk about sincecarpos or fruits that merge, as is the case with custard apple.
  • Clear examples of Pepon -type berries we have cucumbers, watermelon, melon or pumpkin, which are characterized by having a thick peel for the pulp to remain juicy for a longer time. Also within Peponis berries or false berries We find the most recognizable group as such, we talk about strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and currants, those that are also known as wild fruits in more general and much better known terms by all.
  • We can also talk about other berries, as is the case with the commonly called modified berries. Within them are fruits such as lemon or orange.

What are berries, characteristics, types and examples - types of berries and examples

Other examples of berries

Next, we offer you a list with several Plants with berries To be encouraged to cultivate them or to know more about them. In this selection we have highlighted, above all, the Red berries and black berries better known for their appearance and taste so that it is much easier to identify them as such:

  • Vaccinium angustifolium or black blueberry
  • Vaccinium macrocarpon or red blueberry
  • Rubus Idaeus or raspberry
  • Fragaria SP or Strawberry
  • Lycium barbarum or goji berry
  • Ribes nigrum or blackcase
  • Ribes Rubrum or Red Crowd
  • Arbustus Unedo or Madroรฑo
  • Vitis sp or grapes
  • Berberis Microphylla or Calafate
  • Prunus Cerasus or cherry
  • Endrina or scratch
  • Micrantha pink or skirmish
  • UGNI Molinae or Murtilla
  • SMILAX ASPERA OR ZARZAPARRILLA
  • Ribes Alpinum or Alpine Crowd
  • Rubus Fruticosus or Zarzamora
  • Morus Nigra or Mora
  • Sambucus or Saรบco
  • Aristotelia chilensis or maqui

What are berries, characteristics, types and examples - other examples of berries

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Kyle Muller
About the author
Dr. Kyle Muller
Dr. Kyle Mueller is a Research Analyst at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston, Texas. He earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University in 2019, where his dissertation was supervised by Dr. Scott Bowman. Dr. Mueller's research focuses on juvenile justice policies and evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing recidivism among youth offenders. His work has been instrumental in shaping data-driven strategies within the juvenile justice system, emphasizing rehabilitation and community engagement.
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