CHAP. X.] ARTOCARP.^. ' 171 



the rough surface of its fruit, and its golden- 

 yellow colour, it has received the name of the 

 Osage Orange. 



The common Fig (Ficus Carica) has its male 

 and female flowers on the same plant, and often 

 within the same receptacle. The receptacle in 

 this plant instead of being surrounded by the 

 flowers, incloses them, and is, in fact, the fruit 

 we call a fig. This receptable is sometimes 

 roundish, but more generally pear-shaped ; and 

 it is not quite closed, but has a little opening or 

 eye at the upper end, which is fitted in with 

 several very small scales. The stalk of the fig 

 is articulated on the branch. The male flowers 

 are generally in the upper part of the fig, and 

 they consist of a half tubular calyx, with a limb 

 divided into three segments, and three stamens. 

 The female flowers have each a calyx of five sepals, 

 and a single style with two stigmas ; and they 

 are succeeded by the seeds, or nuts as they are 

 called, as each contains a kernel which is the true 

 seed. The leaves are very small when they first 

 expand, but they gradually increase in size, till 

 they become very large. They are generally lobed, 

 and their petioles are articulated. The figs are 

 produced in the axils of the leaves. It may be 

 observed'here, that Du Hamel mentions that the 

 receptacle is not closed in all the varieties of 

 the fig, but that in some it opens naturally, when 



