268 



BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



Some tropical figs are cauliflorus, that is, the receptacle 

 with its numerous small flowers is borne on main stems or 

 branches. This is a rather unusual condition ; in our common 

 woody plants, the flowers and fruit are borne on young 

 twigs only. 



Staminate flowers have a two- to six-parted perianth (some- 

 times none) , and one to three stamens with united filaments. 

 In the staminate flowers, there is no indication of an ovary. 



Fig. io6. — Pollination of the fig (Ficus carica). A, itnedium lengthwise 

 section of a synconium containing fertile pistillate flowers; note the female fig 

 wasp near the orifice, also another one which is inside. B, similar section of 

 synconium showing gall flowers. {After Kerner.) 



Pistillate flowers have a two- to six-parted perianth (some- 

 times none), a single one-celled ovary and single style. The 

 small nutlets are enclosed in the thick, succulent receptacle, 

 forming a fruit known as a synconium ("fig")- 



Geographical Distribution, and Economic Importance. — 

 There are about 600 species of the genus Ficus very widely 

 distributed throughout the American tropics, southern Asia 

 and the islands of the Pacific. Two species, F. aurea and F. 

 hrevijolia, are native to peninsular Florida and the Keys, 

 while F. carica has been introduced into southern California 



