HORACES 271 



Pedro figs, the first crop of Adriatic fi_gs, the second crop of 

 Erinocyce figs and the second crop (mammoni) of Caprifigs. 

 In the receptacle of the latter, they come below the staminate 

 flowers. The pistillate flowers have a three- to five-lobed 

 perianth, which is rather fleshy. The single, superior ovary 

 bears a bent style several times longer than the ovary, and 

 often divided into two unequal stigmatic lobes. 



Gall Flowers (Fig. 107, H). — These are found only in Capri- 

 figs and Erinocyce figs. They are degenerate or transformed 

 pistillate flowers, not producing seed; the ovary harbors 

 the eggs and larvae of the fig wasp (Blastophaga). It must 

 not be thought that gall flowers are true pistillate flowers 

 modified by the fig wasp; they exist independent of the wasp; 

 the wasps select them for the deposit of their eggs. Gall 

 flowers^occur at the base of the receptacle. Their perianth 

 is smaller than that in true pistillate flowers; the style is 

 very short or entirely wanting; the embryo is imperfect and 

 the stigmas do not possess receptive papillae. 



Mule Flowers (Fig. 107, A, B, C, ). — With the'[exception of 

 an occasional pistillate flower, mule flowers are the only kind 

 found in the common edible fig. They are also the only 

 sort present in the first crop of San Pedro figs, and second 

 crop of Adriatic figs. They are not present in Caprifigs. 

 They are imperfect pistillate flowers neither capable of matur- 

 ing seed nor serving as a breeding place for the fig wasp. 

 The style is intermediate in length between that of gall and 

 of true pistillate flowers; the stigmas are non-receptive; the 

 embryo is imperfect, and hence no seed is produced. 



Pollination. — The common edible fig comes to maturity 

 without pollination, artificial or otherwise. In other types 

 of figs all or at least one of the crops require the visitation of 

 the fig wasp {Blastophaga grossorum) in order that the fruit 

 form properly. The close dependence of certain figs upon this 



