What is a Drupe?
A drupe is a type of fruit commonly called a "stone fruit" because it has a hard pit in the center. The fruit has three layers protecting the seed inside the stone.
Structure
Three Layers
- Exocarp (skin): Thin outer layer, can be smooth or fuzzy
- Mesocarp (flesh): Thick, fleshy, edible middle layer
- Endocarp (pit/stone): Hard, woody inner layer protecting the seed
Common Examples
Temperate Drupes:
- Peaches, plums, cherries, apricots
- Olives
Tropical Drupes:
- Mangoes, jocotes, coconuts
- Coffee cherries
Costa Rican Tree Drupes
Jocote (Spondias spp.)
Small egg-shaped drupes with thin skin, juicy yellow-orange flesh, and fibrous pit. A beloved Costa Rican fruit.
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Large drupes with smooth skin, sweet orange flesh, and large flat pit. Introduced but widely naturalized.
Aguacate/Avocado (Persea americana)
Technically a drupe! The "pit" is the stone, surrounding a single large seed.
Why It Matters
Understanding drupe structure helps with:
- Seed dispersal: Animals eat flesh, disperse seeds
- Propagation: Seeds must be extracted from endocarp
- Identification: Drupes indicate specific plant families