420 LXVII. URTICACE^E. [Ficus. 



Afg. ; Fdgu, for/, fag, fagoru, dhudi, dliura, phedu, kale, kok, daholia, Pb. 

 hills ; Fagvidra, lliapur, Pb. plains ; Gular, khabdra, anjiri, beru, bedu, 



sr.w.p. 



A small or middle-sized tree with hoary or pubescent branches, branch- 

 lets of the current year, as well as petioles, young shoots and young 

 leaves soft - tomentose. Leaves rough above, soft - tomentose beneath, 

 broad-ovate, dentate, not or very rarely lobed, 3 basal nerves, and 4-6 

 pair of main lateral nerves on midrib ; blade 3-5, petiole 1-2 in. long. 

 Receptacles tomentose, pedunculate, axillary, pear-shaped, not stipitate 

 when young, but when farther advanced narrowed into a stalk, which 

 lengthens out and often attains J in., being supported at its base by 3-4 

 ovate membranous bracts, mouth half closed with numerous cordate ciliate 

 scales ; peduncle J-f in. long. Fruit yellow when ripe, J-l in. diam. 

 Leaves of this sp. sometimes slightly resemble those of F. Roxburghii, 

 but these have more prominent transverse veins, and the upper surface 

 always glabrous, never rough or tomentose. The branchlets of F. Rox- 

 burghii are hollow, those of F. virgata solid with large pith, like those of 

 F. Carica. From F. Carica it is best distinguished by tomentose branch- 

 lots and the rarely lobed leaves, which are less rough than those of the 

 common Pig. There is some doubt regarding F. caricoides, which is re- 

 presented by Roxb. in 111. Hb. Kew, 1730, with larger leaves and the 

 fruit not, or very shortly stipitate. 



Common wild on the eastern slopes of the Suliman range, ascending to 5000 

 ft., and in the plains of the trans-Indus territory, in the Salt range, the Siwalik 

 tract, and outer hills, extending eastward to Nepal, and ascending to 5000 ft. 

 (on the Sutlej to 9000 ft.) Urni the upper limit in Kunawar. Oudh forests, 

 plains of the Panjab. Cultivated in N.W. India, in Sindh, Beluchistan, and 

 Afghanistan. The leaves are renewed in March, the fruit ripens June-Oct. 

 The tree resembles F. Carica in habit so much as to be easily confused with it; 

 the trunk is short, 6-7 ft. girth (one of 10 ft. noted by Dr S.), with a rounded 

 bushy crown, but it often is only a shrub. Bark of a dull-grey colour (ashy 

 white, Madden), very smooth, with only a few small scars and specks. In the 

 plains the fruit is not generally eaten, in the hills it is eaten largely, and is 

 often succulent, sweet, and pleasant. 



10. F. parasitica, Koenig ; Thwaites Enum. 266 ; Miq. Ann. Mus. 

 Lugd. Bat. iii. 292. Syn. F. Ampelos, Koen. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 553 j 

 Wight Ic. t. 652. F. excelsa, Vahl ; Roxb. 1. c. 552. 



A large tree, or epiphytic on other trees. Leaves rough on both sides, 

 or on the under side only, short - petiolate, elliptic - oblong, entire, main 

 lateral nerves 7-10 pair, joined by reticulate and distinct intramarginal 

 veins, blade 5-6, petiole J in. long. Receptacles pubescent, in pairs, axil- 

 lary, pedunculate. Male flowers few, monandrous, perianth-segments 3-5, 

 linear, hairy. Female flowers : perianth of 5-6 long, linear, hairy segments ; 

 style lateral, short, stigma indistinctly lobed. Fruit yellow when ripe, 

 subglobose, J in. diam. 



Kamaon, at the foot of the hills, Banda, Behar, Bengal, South India, Ceylon. 

 Often epiphytic, encircling the stems of other trees with' its anastomosing roots. 

 The leaves are used to polish ivory (Roxb.) 



