Scientific Name of Pomegranate and Its Importance in Biology
Numerous studies have been conducted concerning the potential health benefits and nutritional value of pomegranate and its constituents. Encouraging findings have increased interest in this specific fruit over the past few years. Pomegranate, rich in bioactive compounds like polyphenols, has shown many health-related properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive, through in vivo and in vitro studies.
The health-promoting properties of the fruit are considered to be due to the presence of punicalagin mainly and, to a lesser extent, to other metabolites, such as flavonols and anthocyanins. Several studies have brought up the potential contribution of pomegranate in treating cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
What is Pomegranate?
Pomegranate is a deciduous or evergreen tree or bush in the family Punicaceae developed for its palatable natural products. The pomegranate tree is extended and barbed with gleaming, weathered, oval to elongated leaves that fill in whorls of at least five on the branches. The tree creates radiant red blossoms separately at the tips of the branches and an adjusted hexagonal natural product with thick pink-red skin.
The organic product has a thick, rough skin which safeguards the pulp[ and seeds inside. The products are isolated into compartments by white elastic tissue. Every compartment contains seeds and mash. Every natural pomegranate product might contain upwards of 600 seeds.
Botanical Name of Pomegranate
The botanical name of pomegranate is Punica granatum.
Pomegranate Shrub
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a rub or little tree of the family Lythraceae and its natural product. The delicious arils of the natural product are eaten new, and the juice is the wellspring of grenadine syrup, utilised in flavourings and mixers. Pomegranate is high in dietary fibre, folic corrosive, L-ascorbic acid, and vitamin K. Therefore the pomegranate family is punica.
Pomegranate Life Span
Pomegranate trees can arrive at a level of 10 m (33 ft) and can be extremely seemingly perpetual, even though their financial life expectancy is typically somewhere in the range of 12 and 15 years. Pomegranate may likewise be alluded to as grenadine or Chinese apple and started in Central Asia, reasonably in Iran.
Uses
Pomegranate is fundamentally eaten as a new organic product by parting open the skin and consuming the seeds. The seeds might be utilised in plates of mixed greens. The natural product may likewise be utilised to create juice, either by eliminating and squeezing the seeds or by squeezing the entire organic product.
Pomegranate Diagram
Labelling of Pomegranate
Interesting Facts
If you keep entire pomegranates in the cooler, they can be used even after two months. However, when you remove the pomegranate seeds from the organic product, they last around five to seven days with cold capacity in the cooler. Thus, to preserve the fruit for longer, freeze your pomegranate seeds for one year.
Important Questions
1. Where is the pomegranate cultivated?
Ans: Pomegranate is cultivated commercially only in Maharashtra. Small scale plantations are also seen in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Fruit is consumed fresh or in the form of juice, jam, squash and syrup.
2. What phytochemicals are present in pomegranate?
Ans: The most abundant phytochemicals in pomegranate juice are polyphenols, including the hydrolysable tannins called ellagitannins formed when ellagic acid and gallic acid bind with a carbohydrate to form pomegranate ellagitannins, also known as punicalagins. The red colour of the juice is attributed to anthocyanins, such as delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin glycosides. Generally, an increase in juice pigmentation occurs during fruit ripening. The phenolic content of pomegranate juice is degraded by processing and pasteurisation techniques.
Pomegranate peel contains a high amount of polyphenols, condensed tannins, catechins, and pro delphinidins. The higher phenolic content of the peel yields extracts for use in dietary supplements and food preservatives. The pomegranate seed oil contains punicic acid (65%), palmitic acid (5%), stearic acid (2%), oleic acid (6%), and linoleic acid (7%).
Conclusion
Pomegranate is the most impressive natural product plentiful in cancer prevention agents, minerals and nutrients. Pomegranate can restore different sorts of malignant growth and cardiovascular illnesses. Subsequently, consuming pomegranates regularly can keep us soundly well.
FAQs on Pomegranate Botanical Name: Classification, Facts & Uses
1. What is the botanical name of the pomegranate, and to which family does it belong?
The botanical name for the pomegranate is Punica granatum. It belongs to the family Lythraceae, which also includes other plants like the crape myrtle. Previously, it was placed in its own dedicated family, Punicaceae, but modern genetic studies have reclassified it.
2. What is the complete botanical classification of a pomegranate?
The scientific classification of the pomegranate follows the standard taxonomic hierarchy. For a biology student, the key ranks to know are:
- Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
- Clade: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
- Clade: Eudicots (True dicotyledons)
- Order: Myrtales
- Family: Lythraceae
- Genus: Punica
- Species: P. granatum
3. What are the primary uses of the pomegranate plant and its fruit?
The pomegranate is valued for both its culinary and medicinal uses. Its primary applications include:
- Culinary Uses: The seeds (arils) are eaten fresh, used in salads, desserts, and yoghurts. The juice is a popular beverage and is also used to make grenadine syrup for flavouring drinks.
- Medicinal Properties: Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants, particularly punicalagins and anthocyanins. These compounds are studied for their potential anti-inflammatory, heart-health, and anti-cancer benefits.
- Traditional Uses: In traditional medicine systems, various parts of the plant, including the peel and bark, were used to treat ailments like diarrhoea and intestinal parasites.
4. What is the geographical origin of the pomegranate?
The pomegranate is native to a region that stretches from modern-day Iran in Western Asia to the Himalayan region in northern India. It has been cultivated for millennia throughout the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, making it one of the oldest known fruits.
5. Why is the pomegranate fruit botanically considered a special type of berry called a 'balausta'?
While it develops from a single flower with an inferior ovary like many berries, the pomegranate fruit is classified as a balausta because of its unique structure. Unlike a typical berry with a soft pericarp, a balausta has a hard, leathery pericarp (peel). Internally, it is divided into multiple chambers by non-fleshy, membranous walls (septa), with each chamber containing numerous seeds surrounded by a fleshy, edible sarcotesta (the aril). This complex, multi-chambered structure distinguishes it from simpler berries.
6. What biological compounds are responsible for the pomegranate's vibrant red colour and significant health benefits?
The deep red colour of pomegranate arils and juice comes from a class of pigments called anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. However, many of the fruit's most potent health benefits are attributed to another group of compounds called punicalagins. These are exceptionally strong antioxidants found in high concentrations in the juice and peel, and they are largely responsible for the pomegranate's reputed cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties.
7. How does the name 'pomegranate' reflect the actual physical structure of the fruit?
The name 'pomegranate' provides a perfect description of the fruit's structure. It is derived from mediaeval Latin: 'pomum' meaning 'apple' and 'granatum' meaning 'seeded' or 'full of grains'. This name accurately portrays the fruit as an 'apple-like' or roundish fruit that is filled with hundreds of grain-like seeds (the arils), making its name a direct reflection of its botanical form.
8. Are there any disadvantages or potential side effects of consuming pomegranates?
For most people, pomegranate fruit and juice are perfectly safe. However, some individuals may experience allergic reactions, with symptoms like itching or swelling. While the fruit is safe, the root, stem, and peel of the pomegranate plant can be toxic if consumed in large quantities. Additionally, because pomegranate juice can lower blood pressure, it may interact with certain blood pressure medications, so it is advisable to consult a doctor if you have related health conditions.
