LEAFLETS ON PHILIPPINE BOTANY 
EDITED BY A. D. E. ELMER, A. M. 
Vol. I. Manila, P. L, April 1O, I9O6. Art. 2. 
A FASCICLE OF BENGUET FIGS 
BY 
A. D. E. ELMER. 
De 
The genus Ficus can always be recognized in the field 
or in the herbarium by its hollow fleshy fruit which bears 
on its inner surface numerous small flowers, and which is 
provided with an apical opening closely guarded by umbilical 
scales. The individual flowers are male, female, gall, neuter 
and pseudo-hermaphrodite; these are usually arranged in 
sets on the same or on different receptacles of the same or 
of different plants. The figs are diverse in size and color— 
ranging from the size of a pea to that of an ordinary orange, 
and in color are either green, pale white, yellow, red or 
dark purple. In general, the great mass of Philippine figs 
is found in the woods of the foothills and in the shrubberies 
of the subalpine regions. Comparatively few extend into the 
valleys and along the seacoast. Most of them are erect 
shrubs and trees; some are scandent or subscandent in habit; 
one or two of our species are liana; and on the island of 
Luzon one powerful cleaver is known. The ligneous structure 
of all our species is soft and contains a sticky chalk white 
or molasses colored fluid which oozes out of the wounds 
quite freely. A few of the broad leaved trees are successfully 
grown as shade trees in some of the Manila parks and 
gardens. None of the Philippine figs are edible. In the 
