FIG OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 173 



other plants. There are many fine varieties of the Fig cultivated. 

 The dried Figs that come to this country form a large article 

 of trade with Turkey, the islands of the Mediterranean, and 

 ports of the African coast. 



The genus Ficus consists of about 100 species, varying in 

 size from small-leaved adhering creepers like ivy to lofty trees, 

 some being of gigantic size {see Banyan Tree and Peepul Tree). 

 The following is an account of one growing on a mountain in 

 the island of Trinidad : — " We carved our names on a gigantic 

 Ficus, with the date of our visit. This tree is a noble specimen ; 

 four of us standing on its spurs 6 feet from the ground could 

 only just span it." Many are climbers, some may be termed 

 epiphytal, having roots as thick as a man's arm. These clasp 

 and destroy trees on which they grow ; specimens may be seen 

 in the museum at Kew. The whole of the species abound in a 

 milky juice, which contains more or less caoutchouc. In Assam 

 this substance is extensively produced by Ficus elastica. (See 

 Caoutchouc and Banyan Tree.) 



Fig Marigold, the common name for the species of the 

 genus Mesemlryanthemum, belonging to the family Ficoidese. 

 It consists of about 300 species, some of which are much- 

 branched, fleshy plants, 1 to 3 feet in height ; others are stem- 

 less, consisting of opposite succulent leaves only, which are 

 either triangular or in the form of tongues, or with their edges 

 variously toothed, resembling the jaws of animals, hence the 

 names Tiger -chap {M. tigrinum), Dog -chap {M. ca7iinitm), 

 Cat -chap {M. felinum), Mouse -chap {M. mitrinum). There 

 is also a group of species, consisting of simple bodies of various 

 forms, about an inch in height, such as the Small Dumpling 

 (if, minimum), Greater Dumpling {M. obcordellum), Cloth 

 Button {M, fibuliforme), Nut-like (if. nuciforme). The flowers 

 are white, yellow, or pink, and, with the exception of if. noc- 

 turnum^ they open only during midday sunshine, which has led 

 to their being called Mesemtryanthcmiom, which means " flowering 

 at midday." Their fruit is a fleshy capsule, in the form of a 

 small fig, and having been eaten by Hottentots, they are called 



