A false berry of
Eriosyce napina ssp. lembckei var. duripulpa
|
It is always formed from an
inferior ovary, in
which the floral tube (hypanthium)
including the basal parts of the
sepals, petals, and
stamens)
ripen along with the
ovary. False
berries are usually dispersed
by animals that eat them. The seeds pass through their bodies and
are excreted.
(For example banana, cucumber, blueberry , prickly pears)
Compare with berry
(a simple fruit
that derives from a superior ovary.)
The fruit of Cactaceae
-
usually regarded as berry - are
indeed false berry because the outer layer of the
fruit derives from the floral
tube (hypanthium) and
contain stem
tissue, for this reason the
fruit of many
cacti show some
stem
characteristic
like areole,
spines,
hairs,
scale and
glochids (in
Opuntioideae) |
