Nectarine (fruit of Prunus persica var. Nucipersica) is a variety of peaches (Prunus persica) resulting from a natural mutation. It is distinguished by the absence of down on the skin which is smooth and shiny and by a free core. There are white, yellow and blood nectarines as well as flat varieties.
It is less fragile than fishing and more easily supports handling and transport.
Nutrition
Nectarine has a high content of antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, and Potassium.
Dissection
We distinguish the fleshy external part of the pericarp and the lignified internal part: the nucleus.
If we take into account the opposite positions of the peduncle and the rest of the style, we can conclude that this fruit is derived from a superior ovary. In fact if we analyze the morphology of the flower, we see that the ovary was located in a conceptacle but not welded to it. It was therefore a non-adherent inferior ovary.
During the maturation, the floral pieces as well as the conceptacle become obsolete. The wall of the fruit therefore essentially derives from the wall of the ovary, as is the case for fruit derived from a superior ovary.
The flesh of nectarine is white, yellow, orange or blood (depending on the variety) and is easily detached from the nucleus: it is a drupe with a free nucleus.
The absence of nectarine hair is due to the absence of the L1 base of the stem apical meristem, following a natural mutation.
Nectarine, although sometimes called "peach-apricot", is therefore not from the grafting of a plum branch on a peach tree.
Difference between nugget and nectarine
The two words have long been synonymous, brugnon being used in French, while nectarine came from English3. In English, only the term nectarine exists.
Currently, the term brugnon is used when the nucleus adheres to the flesh, while the term nectarine is used when the nucleus is free.