BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 9II 



hollow on the inner surface of the receptacle are seen an 

 almost innumerable quantit}^ of small apparently similar 

 flowers, which are fleshy, of unequal size and a little de- 

 formed, and which apparently only slightly resemble 

 flowers with which we are generally acquainted. These 

 are, however, the true flowers of the fig. They fill the 

 whole interior surface of the receptacle, except close to 

 and at the " eye " where they are replaced by " scales " 

 or small leaflets, which latter interlock and form a 

 thatched obstruction in the throat of the fig. This is gen- 

 erally the appearance of the fruit of the common or edible 

 fig tree. 



The wild or the caprifig is slightly differently con- 

 structed, a difference, however, which is of the utmost 

 importance and interest. 



In the caprifig we find, besides the scales at the eye and in 

 the throat, not less than three different and distinct flowers 

 covering the interior of the receptacle: male, female and 

 gall flowers. The male flowers occup}^ the place nearest 

 below the scales of the throat, while the lower part of the 

 receptacle is filled with mostly gall flowers and with a 

 few female flowers. The proportion of these flowers is 

 different in the different crops of the figs. The hiber- 

 nating " mamme " or first crop have a few male flow^ers 

 and many gall flowers, but no female flowers. The second 

 crop or " profichi " has many male flowers and many 

 gall flowers, but no female flowers. The third crop or 

 the " mammoni " has no male flowers, a few female 

 flowers and many gall flowers. There are, however, ex- 

 ceptions to this rule, but this proportion is the most com- 

 mon one and is generally constant. There is also a 

 purely female plant of the wild caprifig which possesses 

 only female flowers, but this plant is as yet almost un- 

 known. It has already been mentioned that this form was 



