POLYGAMIA 
169 
N° of . Species in 
N° Genera. Growth. Species, Native of Britain. 
39 Mcus* s 17 Europe, India 
tarrat, or car act , from the Greek word kerqteon (siliqua).—In Britain the term is 
feed to express the degree of fineness, pure gold being fixed at twenty four carats ; 
If therefore two parts are alloy (which is about the standard of the current gold) it 
is said to be twenty-two carats fine.—The term is also borrowed as a weight for 
precious stones, containing four grains. 
* Linnaeus saith he hath removed ficus (fig tree) from the class cryptogamia to 
the class polygamid, being convinced of the structure of the fructification, the 
umbilicus of the receptacle in some being open. Therefore the fruit of the Jicus is 
not a pericarpium, but a receptacle , the interior sides of which support the flowers, 
which are enclosed within it® 
Mr. Lee says, ♦ the flowers in our common fig trees are female only, but that 
formerly known by the name of caprificus hath male flowers ; and another, called 
erinosyne (which is androgynousj hath both male and female flowers distinct, 
though lodged within the sarrie receptacle.—Here, then, we have the tricecious 
polygamy ex plained; and if descriptions of Pe la Hire may be trusted, there are Jigs 
which contain mono dinian Rowers; which makes a fourth habitation for the sexes. 
As these trees, iii warm climates, bear some male andothers female flowers, 
imtttured on all sides by the fruit, the manner of their fecundation was very un¬ 
intelligible, until Toutnefort, Touted era, and Linnaeus, discovered that a, kind of 
gnat, of a black colour, was produced 4n the male Jigs; and, at a certain time, 
made their escape, and carrying the fecundatingduston their wings, and penetrating 
the female fig, thus impregnated the flowers. The figs of this country being all 
female , tlieir seeds are not prolific; and therefore can only be propagated by layers, 
suckers, or cuttings. * See Milne’s Bot. Diet, under caprificdtion . 
Ficus religiosa (the banian tree) is said by some to bear no flowers or fruit, or 
tery small, and is very remarkable; shoots from the boughs of which, tending to 
the earth, take root and grow up again like the mother plant, and spreading them¬ 
selves far around, will afford shelter for a regiment of soldiers under its branches, 
whose leaves are ever-green. Under these the Banians and Gentoos frequently 
place their idols, arid perform religious ceremonies. Ficus sycomorus (the 
Egyptian sycomore) adorns the banks of the Nile, and produces a. fig which grows 
on the trunk of the tree* and not at the end of the branches, which, though some¬ 
what dry, is eaten. This tree becomes very large and tufted; it seldom grows 
straight, but is generally bent and twisted ; its branches extending very horizontally, 
afford excellent shelter; its leaves are divided, and its wood, impregnated with bit¬ 
ter juice, is not subjected to be worm eaten. ' This sycomore grows several ages.— 
CTranslation ofSavary’s letters on Egypt , 1799). The word is derived from the 
Greek, meaning fig^mulberry, and Linnaeus, retaining the name, calls i t fieus 
sy comorus (fig fig-mulberry); and this is said to be the wood of which the Egyptians 
made their coffins, as not being liable to decay. Our English sycomore , which is 
the acer pseudo-piatinus of Linnaeus, perhaps obtained its name from some slight, 
resemblance to the leaves of the antient syco^morus^ See note to cupressus « 
Z 
