Greg Hume · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
The genus *Ficus* contains over 850 species of woody plants, notable for their unique syconium—an urn-shaped inflorescence that develops into the fig 'fruit.' These plants are highly important food resources for wildlife and possess distinctive traits like white to yellowish latex and 'triveined' leaves.
Field notes
Morphology
Fig species are characterized by the syconium, a hollow, fleshy receptacle containing numerous tiny unisexual flowers accessible through a small opening called the ostiole. Many species also possess aerial roots, which can reach lengths of 50 m, and exhibit 'triveined' leaves, where the lateral veins at the leaf base form a tighter angle with the midrib.
Distribution & habitat
The genus is pantropical, with species occupying a wide variety of ecological niches; some deciduous species grow outside the tropics or at higher elevations.
Ecology
Figs are keystone species in many tropical forest ecosystems, providing a key food resource for frugivores such as fruit bats, capuchin monkeys, and hornbills. The plant exhibits a highly specialized mutualism with tiny fig wasps (Agaonidae), which are required for pollination and egg-laying.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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