MULBERRY FAMILY (MORACEAE) 



24. Jagiiey Colorado 



This jagiiey or wildfig is distinguished by: (1) 

 small elliptic leaves only l%,-3 inches long and 

 %-l^/4 inches broad, short-pointed at both ends, 

 dull reddish when young; (2) many straight, par- 

 allel, lateral veins less than Vi,; inch apAVt on each 

 side of midrib and nearly at right angles to it ; (3) 

 rounded figlike fruits less than l^ inch in diameter 

 and on stal!<s about the same length, mostly paired 

 or single at base of a leaf; and (4) milky juice or 

 white latex. 



A small to medium-sized evergreen tree to 50 

 feet high (recorded also to 65 feet) and 1 foot in 

 trunk diameter, with spreading crown. Bark is 

 light gray and smoothisli. The whitisii inner bark 

 is almost tasteless and contains white latex. Slen- 

 der brown twigs end in a long-jwinted green scale 

 (stipule) 1/4-% inch long, which forms the bud. 



The alternate leaves have petioles V^^-Vo i'^''^ 

 long. Leaf blades are thick and leathery, without 

 teeth, dark green and slightly shiny on upper sur- 

 face, and yellow green beneath. 



The figlike nuiltiple fruits (syconia) are pale 

 green when immature, becoming pink tinged or 

 reddish and have a slight ])ointed opening at ajjex 

 and 2 rounded scales (bracts) Yiq inch long at 

 base. Numerous minute male and female flowers 



Ficus sintenisii Warb. 



(monoecious) and seeds are formed inside the 

 slightly fleshy fruit. Probably fruiting through 

 the year. 



The sapwood is whitish and soft. The wood is 

 soft, fairly lightweight (specific gi-avity 0.4), 

 weak, and not durable. Used for fuel and posts. 

 The broad, generally symmetrical dense crown 

 makes this tre« potentially an ornamental. 



Commonest in the upper mountain and moist 

 limestone regions of Puerto Hico, often growing 

 near the summits of limestone hills. Less common 

 in the lower mountain regions. 



PiniLic F0RE>sTs. — Cambalache, Carite, Guaja- 

 taca, Guanica, Guilarte, Luquillo, Maricao, Rio 

 Aba jo, Susua, Toro Negro. 



Range. — Known only from Puerto Rico. 



Other common names. — jagiiey prieto, jagiiey, 

 higuillo prieto (Puerto Rico). 



The specific name honors P. Sintenis, botanical 

 explorer who made extensive plant collections on 

 three field trips to Puerto Rico in 1885-87. This 

 species recently has been united as a synonym of 

 F. perforata L., interpreted as a species of broader 

 range in Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and from 

 Guatemala to Colombia. 



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