Getting to grips with the importance of Fruits in identification.
The fruiting structures of flowering plants are almost as diverse and beautiful as the flowers that precede them. As laymen we often marvel at this diversity and appreciate the nuances of minor variations, but as field botanists our tendency is to ignore clues that pertain to the fruit and instead to rely solely on floral and vegetative features for identification purposes. Each family and genus chooses and sticks to its characteristic fruit and each species has its own particular variation of that choice. Therefore, when available, fruiting features can be enormously reliable and revealing.
Undoubtedly we can live happy and fulfilled lives without appreciating the meaning of terms such as mericarp or achene, but time spent focussing on the intricate structure of the infinite variety of fruiting designs will not only aid you in your identification endeavours, but will also guarantee enrichment of mind and spirit.
Tutor: Ros Bennett was formerly a full-time tutor for the Field Studies Council and continues to run many courses for them. She has written books on plants and habitats and has been teaching courses on identification and ecology for many years to all age groups from primary children through to University students, environmental professionals and interested adults.
Find out more by downloading the Identification of Fruits 2016 flyer