HORACES 269 



and a number of the Gulf States. As compared with other 

 genera in the family Moraceae, Ficus is by far of the greatest 

 economic importance. The most important species is Ficus 

 carica, the common fig of commerce. 



FICUS CARICA (Conunon Fig) 



Habit of Plant, and Stem. — The common fig is a shrub or 

 small tree, seldom reaching a height of more than 25 feet. 

 The main trunk of the tree is short. It branches rather 

 irregularly, forming a round head. The gray or reddish bark 

 is smooth and fits closely to the wood. The twigs are stout 

 and thick, at first somewhat hairy but later becoming smooth 

 and grayish-green in color. The fig is propagated mainly 

 from stem cuttings. 



Leaves. — These are thick and leathery and from 5 to 15 

 centimeters long. The general outline of the leaf is usually 

 oval, sometimes about circular. The leaf base is truncate 

 or slightly heart-shaped. There are five to seven deep lobes, 

 which are coarsely toothed or slightly lobed again ; each lobe 

 is blunt at the tip. The leaves are light green, rough and 

 hairy on the upper side, paler and hairy on the under side; 

 leaf venation is prominent. 



Inflorescence, and Flowers. — The numerous small flowers 

 Hne the inner wall of a hollow receptacle (Fig. 106), except 

 near the small opening ("eye") at the apex where there are 

 scales or small leaves. 



Among the various types of Ficus carica, there are four 

 distinct kinds of flowers, staminate, pistillate, gall and mule. 



Staminate Flowers (Fig. 107, E). — These rarely occur in 

 cultivated figs, being found for the most part in the wild 

 fig (Caprifig). They occur just below the scales in the 

 receptacle. Each staminate flower usually has a four-lobed 



