Iturup strawberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iturup strawberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Fragaria
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| Species: |
iturupensis
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The Fragaria iturupensis, also known as the Iturup strawberry, is a type of wild strawberry. It grows only on Iturup Island, which is part of the Kuril Islands. This means it is endemic to that island, so you won't find it growing naturally anywhere else in the world!
This special strawberry is known for having berries that are quite large for a wild type. They look a lot like the berries from another wild strawberry called Fragaria virginiana.
What Makes Iturup Strawberries Special?
All strawberries have tiny structures inside their cells called chromosomes. These chromosomes carry all the instructions that make a strawberry plant grow and look the way it does.
Chromosome Numbers
Most living things have two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. But some plants, like the Iturup strawberry, can have many more sets!
Scientists first thought that the Iturup strawberry had eight sets of chromosomes. This is called being octoploid, meaning it has 56 chromosomes in total (because each set has 7 chromosomes, and 8 x 7 = 56).
However, later studies found something even more interesting! They discovered that the Iturup strawberry actually has ten sets of chromosomes. This is called being decaploid, which means it has 70 chromosomes in total (10 x 7 = 70).
It's still a bit of a mystery why the first report was different. Maybe the earlier test was mistaken, or perhaps there are two different kinds of Iturup strawberries, one with eight sets and one with ten! Scientists are still working to understand this unique plant.
Images for kids
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A close-up picture of the Fragaria iturupensis plant.
See also
In Spanish: Fragaria iturupensis para niños
