68 



POPULAR GARDEN BOTANY. 



rather ornamental, — M. quercifolia, cordifolia, serrata, la- 

 ciniata, JEthiojpica, segregata, esculent a, etc. ; the flowers 

 are not striking, being of a brownish hue. These plants 

 grow well in peat soil, and should be kept moist. 



MORACE/E. 



Flowers very inconspicuous, collected in heads or spikes or 

 catkins ; the stamens of the barren flowers are inserted into the 

 base of the calyx, and opposite its segments. Fertile flower with 

 the calyx divided into from three to five-parts ; ovary one-celled 

 generally. Emit small, nuts enclosed within a succulent receptacle 

 or collected into fleshy heads. — Trees or shrubs with a milky 

 juice ; leaves lobed and rough, with large stipules ; natives of tem- 

 perate and tropical latitudes. Indian-rubber, figs, and mulberries, 

 are produced by this Order. 



FICUS. (Indian-rubber, Fig, etc.) 



Gen. Char. {JPolygamia Dioecia.) Common receptacle turbi- 

 nate, closed, and fleshy ; fertile flower — calyx five-parted ; corolla 

 none ; ovary one, seed one ; barren flower — calyx three-parted ; 

 corolla none ; stamens three. 



The name is similar in almost all languages, but the de- 

 rivation is uncertain. Ficus Carica is the Fig-tree of our 



