The fruit with 56 chromosomes is the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa).
The common strawberry is an octoploid, meaning it has eight sets of chromosomes instead of the typical two (diploid). Its chromosome number is therefore 2n = 8x = 56. This octoploid nature is a result of its complex genetic history, arising from hybridization events involving multiple diploid ancestral species. These ancestral genomes contribute to the traits and characteristics we observe in modern strawberries. This also means each strawberry cell contains remnants of four separate ancestral diploid subgenomes.
This genetic complexity makes strawberries unique and contributes to their desirable qualities.
