24 . Bulletin 77 



(1) Capri {Fictis carica var. silvestris). 



(2) Smyrna {Ficvis carica var. smyrnica). 



(3) San Pedro {Fictis carica var. intermedia). 



(4) Common or Adriatic {Ficus carica var. hortensis). 



(5) Cordelia (Ficus carica var. relicta). 



The fruit of the fig. — While these groups vary greatly in habits 

 and character they do agree closely with respect to the general 

 nature and appearance of the fruit. The fruit of the fig consists 

 of a fleshy receptacle called a syconus. This body is the deeply 

 concave axis of the inflorescence on the inner surface of which the 

 flowers and subsequently the fruit is borne, the entire body becoming 

 edible at maturity. The cavity is closed by small bracts. It is 

 the detailed information concerning the fruit and crops that the 

 grower most needs to guide him in handling the fig intelligently. 



Kinds of flowers.- — There are four kinds of flowers produced by 

 the fig: (1) staminate, (2) pistillate, (3) mule, and (4) gall. All 

 the flowers are borne on the inner wall of the fleshy receptacle or 

 syconus, commonly called the fruit. The fruit is a succulent, hollow 

 stem with an eye at the apical end, hollow in the center with the 

 wall lined with a thick coat of flowers. The five varieties of figs 

 are grouped according to the kind of flowers borne in the receptacle. 



(1) vStaminate flowers, erroneously called male flowers, are 

 rarely found except in the Capri fig. They may also occasionally 

 appear in Smyrna figs. The flowers are minute and rather incon- 

 spicuous, consisting largely of four anthers borne on short fila- 

 ments. 



(2) Pistillate flowers, erroneously called female flowers, are 

 common in the edible figs but may also occur in small numbers in the 

 Capri fig. The pistillate flowers are small and consist largely of the 

 ovary, style and stigma, the essential organ being the most con- 

 spicuous. 



(3) Mule flowers are rudimentary or degenerate pistillate flowers 

 that do not require pollination to induce edible maturity of the 

 fruit. This case may be termed horticultural maturity, since 

 botanical maturity would involve the production of viable seeds. 

 Mule flowers are common and characteristic of Adriatic or common 

 figs. They may be associated with pistillate flowers which not 

 infrequently occur in this group. 



(4) Gall flowers are probably degenerate pistillate flowers 

 which have become modified through long use by Blastophaga psenes, 

 the fig wasp, as a place in which to pass its life cycle. These flowers 

 are found with rare exceptions only in the syconus of the Capri fig. 



