206 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



Large fig trees, too, often send down from their branches aerial roots which 

 take hold of the soil and finally develop into trunks. In this way trees of the 

 banyan type are formed, some of them of enormous size. 



Because of their broad, dense crowns and handsome foliage many of the 

 Mexican figs make attractive shade trees. Some exotic species are cultivated 

 for the same purpose. F. nitida Thunb., an Asiatic plant with small lustrous 

 obovate leaves is seen frequently in parks, being known as " laurel de la India," 

 " laurel," and " Slamo extranjero." A specimen of F. aa^sinervia Willd., from 

 Puebla, was probably taken from a cultivated tree; the species is a West 

 Indian one. F. religiosa L., of the East Indies ("laurel de India," "alamo 

 cubano " ) , with very long-acuminate leaves, also is cultivated. F. elastica 

 Roxb., another Old World species, is frequent in parks and gardens, being one 

 of the finest shade trees grown in the tropics. It is one of the sources of India 

 rubber, and is the well-known rubber plant which is cultivated for ornament in 

 the United States and elsewhere. Its leaves are larger than those of most 

 Mexican species, and the fruit is of distinct shape, oblong rather than globose, 

 as in most figs. The common edible fig, F. carica L. ("higuera," "higo"), is 

 extensively cultivated in Mexico for its fruit, which under favorable conditions 

 is produced at all times of the year. It differs from all the American species 

 in having lobed leaves. It was doubtless brought to Mexico at a very early 

 date by the Spaniards. The Jesuits introduced the fig tree into Baja California 

 in the eighteenth century, and it is said to have been the only fruit, except 

 grapes, which was thoroughly successful there. 



The fruit of all the species is edible, but often the receptacles are so small 

 and dry that they are not very palatable. They are a favorite food of many 

 kinds of birds and of domestic animals. 



The milky juice of the Mexican species yields a kind of rubber which might 

 become of some commercial importance. This is said to have been used locally 

 for treating fractured bones and for similar purposes. Some of the South 

 American species are said to produce commercial rubber. 



Few medicinal uses are reported for this genus in Mexico. The early in- 

 habitants are said to have used the root, to which purgative properties are 

 ascribed, in the treatment of fevers and chest affections, and the milky juice for 

 ulcers. The juice is often applied to warts, but with what success is not stated. 

 The juice of some of the South American species is reported to be extremely 

 poisonous. 



The wood of the fig trees is soft and light and of little value. The large 

 trunks, however, are often made into canoes. In preconquest days the bark 

 was of great importance, for it was one of the sources of the bark paper used 

 by the Aztecs for their records and correspondence. Some of this paper is 

 still preserved in the ancient manuscripts. It is generally stated that the 

 species used for the purpose was F. petiolaris. This is, it is true, the species 

 described by HernJindez, but it is probable that other species were used indis- 

 criminately. Plants of other families were used likewise for the same purpose, 

 and it Is now uncertain what one was most commonly employed. 



It was believed that the manufacture of bark paper in Mexico had become 

 obsolete, but Professor Starr, of the University of Chicago, found a few years 

 ago that the method of preparation was still known to some of the Otomf 

 Indians of Hidalgo. He secured specimens of the paper and has published an 

 account of its manufacture.* He states that the trees used are " xalama " 

 (Ficuis sp,), "jonote" (Heliocarpus), "moral," and " drag6n." The name 



' Starr, In Indian Mexico, pp. 245-246, 259, 268. 



