The world of fruit classification often presents a fascinating contrast between common culinary understanding and precise botanical definitions. Many fruits we regularly enjoy are categorized differently by botanists, leading to common curiosities about their true nature.
What Defines a Berry
A berry is a simple fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower containing one ovary. A defining characteristic of a true berry is that its entire ovary wall ripens into a fleshy pericarp. This pericarp is typically divided into three layers: the exocarp (outer skin), the mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and the endocarp (inner layer surrounding the seeds).
Berries usually contain multiple seeds embedded within this fleshy interior, though some may have only one seed. These fruits are indehiscent, meaning they do not split open naturally to release their seeds when ripe. Examples of true botanical berries include grapes, tomatoes, and bananas.
How Mangoes are Classified
Mangoes are not classified as botanical berries. Instead, a mango is botanically defined as a drupe, also commonly known as a stone fruit. Drupes are simple fleshy fruits that develop from a single ovary, similar to berries, but possess a distinct structural feature.
The key characteristic that classifies a mango as a drupe is the presence of a hard, stony endocarp that encloses a single seed. In a mango, the skin is the exocarp, the succulent edible flesh is the mesocarp, and the large, hard pit in the center is the lignified (woody) endocarp. Other familiar examples of drupes include peaches, plums, cherries, and olives, all sharing this characteristic stony pit.
Surprising Botanical Classifications
The botanical definitions of fruits often challenge common perceptions, revealing that many culinary “berries” are not true berries. Strawberries are accessory fruits, where the fleshy part develops from the flower’s receptacle rather than the ovary, and their “seeds” are actually tiny individual fruits called achenes on the exterior. Similarly, raspberries and blackberries are aggregate fruits, meaning they form from multiple small, individual drupelets from a single flower.
Conversely, many fruits not typically called berries are, in fact, botanical berries. Tomatoes, grapes, and bananas are classic examples. Avocados, often considered vegetables, are also botanical berries, sometimes even classified as drupes due to their single large seed. Additionally, cucumbers, watermelons, and pumpkins are classified as a specific type of berry called a pepo, characterized by a hard rind.