238 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS, 



a calyx of four sepals, with a pistil of one carpel in 

 the middle, with a tuft-like stigma. 



This stigma consists of a tuft of papillae, or short 

 hairs, which are thus enabled to catch the pollen 

 wafted to them by the wind, the nettles being " wind- 

 pollinated " plants. 



Fi'cus. — The fig is a pseudocarp, in that the edible 

 part is only an expanded flower-stalk. 



If a young fig in the flowering stage be cut down 

 from top to bottom, it will be found to have a little 

 opening at the top, but closed by many minute bracts. 

 In nearly all cultivated varieties of fig the whole of 

 the interior chamber is covered with female flowers, 

 consisting of a calyx of tliree or more sepals, and a 

 pistil having a forked stigma. The ovary is only one- 

 celled with one ovule. This, however, never becomes 

 a seed, and therefore never develops an embryo. In 

 fact, these female flowers are more or less abortive. 

 Moreover, there are no stamens. 



In some figs, as the so-called "Wild Fig," or 

 Caprificus, of the Mediterranean regions, stamens form 

 a cluster just inside the orifice, hanging downwards. 



Now, although, as stated, hundreds of different 

 sorts of figs become edible fruits without any pollina- 

 tion, certain kinds (such as the Smyrna figs) do require 

 it, or they will fall off prematurely. 



The " caprification " is effected by minute wasp-like 

 insects which breed in the wild fig, their grubs living 



