160 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Bosqueia, a shrub of Madagascar and the eastern coast of Africa, has 

 the gynœcium of Lanessania, with the involucre and nionandrous 

 flowers of Scyphosyce; but the monandrous flowers are not sur- 

 rounded by a calyx, and the common receptacle of the inflorescence 

 has an upper surface more or less oblique, according to the age of 

 the flowers. In Piratincra (of which Brosimum forms part) belong- 

 ing to tropical America, the receptacle takes the form of a small 

 sphere the entire surface of which is covered with monandrous male 

 flowers, destitute of calyx and separated by bracts with peltate 

 summit, and the female flower, most frequently single in the 

 inflorescence, is found imbedded in the interior of the sphere. 



Ficus Carica. 



Fig. 124. Foliaceous and 

 floriferous branch {\) . 



Fig. 125. Long. sect, of 

 female flower (f). 



Fig. 126. Long. sect, of 

 compound fruit. 



With a receptacle in form of a sac, like that of Lanessania and 

 the neighbouring genera, the Figs (Ficus) have given their name 

 to a distinct group (Ficcce), because this receptacular pouch, with 

 orifice generally very narrow, and surrounded by a small involucre, 

 encloses female flowers in great number instead of a single one, 

 with or without male flowers above them. All are likewise disposed 

 in glomerules on the interior surface of the common receptacle 



