These are not seeds: what are the white dots on strawberries

The white or yellow hard dots on the surface of strawberries are not the seeds of these fruits, and strawberries are not berries either. Scientists' research has turned people's imaginations about their favorite summer fruit upside down.

The secret is that these white dots on strawberries are not seeds, as one might assume. In fact, they are achenes, each containing a single seed. Strawberries are not a berry, as many people thought, but a complex group of fruits, just like raspberries and blackberries. All these plants are part of the same rose family, IFLScience writes.

It is noted that ordinary berries must contain more than one seed, and have an outer skin, a fleshy center, and an inner shell with seeds. In addition, the berries come from a single ovary of a single flower and are divided into two groups: citrus fruits and the pepos group, which includes pumpkins, cucumbers, and watermelon.

Read also: How to fertilize strawberries to get large and sweet berries: secrets of summer residents

As for the specks on the surface of the strawberry, these are not seeds, but simply the swollen tissue of the receptacle that holds the achenes. When the fruit ripens, the receptacle tissue swells, revealing the achenes inside. Thus, these white dots are just a "servant" for the real fruit, which breaks down into small, dry achenes.

Interestingly, most strawberry plants are grown from clones that take root when they touch the ground, so seeds are not used to propagate them. It turns out that strawberries are a true master of transforming and conquering nature.

Earlier, we found out who should refrain from excessive consumption of strawberries due to illnesses and health conditions.

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