Most fruit is not named for its colour. This is only
deemed necessary when the fruit colour deviates from the norm -for instance the
yellow kiwi fruit verses the normal green ones- or is rarely encountered. Hence
the name blueberry for a type of berry where normally one might expect to only
see berries in red or sometimes, yellow or black. As berry colour is related to
seed dispersal, the colour of the fruit became linked to the main vector for
dispersal. If this vector is a bird, as is mostly the case, the fruit will be
red, orange or even at times yellow.
Three examples
of similar berries on totally unrelated plants: Skimmia with the coral red
berries (on the left), Pyracantha with yellow berries instead of the more
widespread red ones, and Ilex (Holly) with deep red clusters of berries amongst
the prickly leaves.
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