Figs

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Figs
Common fig (Ficus carica)

Common fig ( Ficus carica )

Systematics
Rosids
Eurosiden I
Order : Rose-like (rosales)
Family : Mulberry family (Moraceae)
Tribe : Ficeae
Genre : Figs
Scientific name of the  tribe
Ficeae
Gaudich.
Scientific name of the  genus
Ficus
L.

The figs ( Ficus ) are the only genus of the tribe Ficeae within the plant family of the mulberry family (Moraceae). The best known species is the real fig ( Ficus carica ), the fruits of which are known as figs. The large genus ("large genus") consists of 750 to 1000 species of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs or climbing plants that are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. In frost-free areas, some species are planted for their decorative leaves or to provide shade in parks and gardens. Some species and their varieties are popular houseplants .

description

Illustration of a rubber tree ( Ficus elastica ): from Koehler 1887

Vegetative characteristics

All Ficus species are woody plants: evergreen and deciduous trees , shrubs and climbing plants . There is white milky sap in the plants .

The mostly alternate leaves are mostly simple. A stipule can be seen, which arises from two fused stipules. Only rarely are these not grown together. The stipule protects the leaf bud and falls off when the leaf is unfolded.

Seed heads of Ficus gilletii with about 1 centimeter in diameter

Generative characteristics

The flowers are always unisexual and apetal (without petals). There are monoecious ( monoecious ) and gyno- dioecious but functionally dioecious ; dioecious segregated species with hermaphrodite flowers that function as males. Many flowers are sunk into an inflorescence , a jug-shaped, hollowed-out axis tissue . Only a small distal opening (ostiolum), narrowed by scales and bracts , remains as a connection to the outside. There can be three types of flowers in an inflorescence: male and fertile female flowers and sterile female (gall flowers). The male flowers have two to six sepals and usually one to three (rarely more) stamens . The fertile female flowers have no to six sepals and a free ovary with one or two unequal styles.

The fruits are seed-like achenes , usually enclosed in the enlarged, hollow flower base or surrounded by a fleshy perianth . It is a fruit association (achene fruit association), more precisely a sykonium , hypanthodium ( false fruit ; pseudocarp), since the many female flowers develop into achenes and are integrated into the fleshy, jar-shaped flower base.

The basic chromosome number is x = 13. Most species have diploidy , with a chromosome number of 2n = 26.

ecology

pollination

The pollination of all fig species is done by fig wasps (Agaonidae). Many fig species can only be pollinated by a very specific fig wasp species. The fig wasps penetrate the inflorescence through the distal opening, the ostiolum. They pollinate some fig blossoms and lay their eggs in others. The larvae hatch and feed on components of the fruit cluster until they develop into an imago . Afterwards, the flighty adult wasps hatch from the opening of the fruit cluster, look for a sexual partner and the cycle begins again.

Aerial roots of a fig species
Strangler fig in the adult stage during the dry season

Strangler figs

Some species of ficus are strangler figs. The seeds are eaten by birds and pass through the digestive tract undamaged. When they are excreted on the branch of a tree in the bird's droppings and stick there thanks to the mistletoe-like slimy seed coat, the seeds germinate on the branch. The fig plants grow right there; so it is first of all epiphytes . But their aerial roots grow down to the ground. When the roots reach the ground, the figs begin to grow faster and from now on they form many more aerial roots. They gradually enclose their support tree or host tree, which eventually dies, creating a cavity inside the strangler fig. The strangler fig also benefits from the nutrients released by the decomposition of the dead tree.

Some of the numerous types of strangler fig are:

Illustration of Ficus subulata

Food for animals

Since most Ficus species produce very many fruits , they are an important source of food for many animal species, including bats , primates and birds, and also for fruit-eating beetles such as the great rose beetle .

Systematics and distribution

The genus Ficus was established by Carl von Linné in Species Plantarum 2, 1753, p. 1059 and Genera Plantarum , 5th edition, 1754, p. 482. Lectotype species is Ficus carica L. The genus name Ficus is derived from the Latin word for the real fig , ficus , which is also related to the ancient Greek sykea . The German common name was also taken from Latin . Ficus is the only genus of the tribe Ficeae Gaudich. within the Moraceae family .

The genus Ficus contains 750 to 1000 species that thrive in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

Habitus of Ficus abutilifolia in the habitat
Foliage leaves and fruits of the tall fig ( Ficus altissima )
Ficus americana
Branches with fruits of the deciduous species Ficus arnottiana
A variety of Ficus aspera with variegated leaves
Habitus and leaves of Ficus auriculata
Habitus of Ficus aurea , the Florida strangler fig
Branch with leaves and fruits of Ficus bahiensis
Banyan fig ( Ficus benghalensis ) leaves and fruits
Leaves and fruits of weeping fig ( Ficus benjamina )
Habitus of Ficus burtt-davyi
Branch with leaves and fruits of Ficus callosa
Figs from Ficus capreifolia
Ficus celebensis
Ficus cestrifolia
Habitus of Ficus chirindensis
Habit of Ficus citrifolia
Habitus of columnaris
Habitus of Ficus cordata in the habitat
Branch with leaves and fruits of Ficus coronata
Habit of Ficus cotinifolia in the habitat
Branch with leaves and figs of Ficus craterostoma
Habit of Ficus curtipes
Habitus and leaves of Ficus cyathistipula
Underside of the leaf of Ficus cyclophylla
Figs from Ficus dalhousiae
Ficus dammaropsis
Foliage leaves and figs of Ficus deltoidea
Fruits of Ficus drupacea
Stalked, simple foliage leaf with figs from Ficus elastica on top
Branches with leaves and figs of Ficus erecta
Branches with figs from Ficus exasperata
Figs of the califlower species Ficus fistulosa
Herbarium evidence - type specimen of Ficus forstenii
Ficus fraseri leaves and figs
Habitus of Ficus glaberrima
Habitus of Ficus glumosa
Branch with alternate, stalked leaves and figs from Ficus heterophylla
Figs of the califlower species Ficus hispida
Ficus hispida leaves
Habitus of Ficus ilicina in the habitat
Habitus of Ficus ingens in the habitat
Branches with figs from Ficus ingens
Habitus of Ficus insipida
Ripe figs of the califlower species Ficus itoana
Habit of Ficus kerkhovenii
Habitus of Ficus kurzii
Ficus longifolia leaves
The kauliflore species Ficus lutea
Foliage leaf and figs of the violin fig ( Ficus lyrata ) on it
Large-leaved fig ( Ficus macrophylla )
Habit of Ficus magnoliifolia
Figs from Ficus mauritiana
Habit of the Chinese fig ( Ficus microcarpa )
Foliage leaves and figs of Ficus montana
Habitus of Ficus natalensis
Ficus nervosa leaves
Branch with leaves and figs of Ficus nota
Trunk with bark and leaves of Ficus nymphaeifolia
Ficus obliqua leaves and figs
Foliage leaves and figs of Ficus odorata
Opposite leaves and figs of Ficus odorata
Habitus of Ficus organensis
Ficus padana leaves and figs
Ficus palmata folded leaf
Stalked leaves and figs from Ficus palmeri
Branch with stalked leaves and figs of Ficus platypoda
Branch with stalked leaves and figs of Ficus pleurocarpa
Figs in the calf-flowered species Ficus polita
Habit and leaves of Ficus pseudopalma
Habit and leaves of the climbing fig ( Ficus pumila )
Mulberry fig ( Ficus sycomorus ) leaves and ripe fruits
Urostigma subsection : leaves and figs of Ficus virens

Inner structure

The genus of figs ( Ficus ) is divided into six sub-genera with sections, subsections and series:

use

Use in the kitchen

The figs of some kinds are eaten. The best known is the common fig ( Ficus carica ). For example, the figs of Ficus macrophylla and Ficus palmata are also used .

Figs sold in Austria are usually dried and brown. Commercial form used to be rings to which the axially pressed fruits were threaded onto a biogenic fiber and knotted. Today, 250 g of figs are pressed into an elongated brick, wrapped in cellophane and placed in a wooden box or sturdy cardboard box. In most cases, a 4–8 mm short stalk remains on the fruit until it is eaten, which is not eaten but prevents germs from penetrating during the drying process.

Supplier countries are Turkey and Italy, 2018 are, however, already in Vienna- Simmering cultivated figs.

Use as a medicinal plant

The medicinal properties of the common fig ( Ficus carica ) were investigated.

Ornamental plant in parks and gardens

Many species are used as ornamental plants in parks and gardens.

Chinese fig ( Ficus microcarpa ) as a bonsai

Ornamental plant in rooms

Some Ficus species and their varieties are used as ornamental plants in rooms (selection):

  • Weeping fig, also called Benjamin Ficus ( Ficus benjamina ): Often offered in many varieties (for example Ficus benjamina 'Natasja').
  • Mistletoe fig tree ( Ficus deltoidea ): This species produces fruits easily. Robust type in heated rooms.
  • Rubber tree ( Ficus elastica ): Previously very popular houseplant, which is now being offered more frequently in various varieties. Very robust type.
  • Violin fig ( Ficus lyrata ): A large-leaved, sparsely growing species. Very easy to look after in heated rooms.
  • Chinese fig , also called laurel fig or Indian laurel ( Ficus microcarpa , Syn .: Ficus retusa ): Robust species that can also cope with cooler rooms, for example as an indoor bonsai .
  • Climbing fig ( Ficus pumila ): A small-leaved species that climbs with adhesive roots. It is offered as a ground cover or climbing on moss sticks.

Due to their good adaptation to the climate of the living area, different species are suitable as indoor bonsai .

literature

  • E. Bolay: ecology of strangler figs. In: Biology in Our Time . Volume 2, 1977, pp. 55-58.
  • E. Bolay: Figs and strangler figs. In: Pharmacy in our time . Volume 8, 4, 1979, pp. 97-112.
  • E. Bolay: A Strangler Fig (Ficus benjamina L.) - Example of a teaching unit on the subject of epiphytism and parasitism. In: Science in Class - Biology. Volume 7, 2, 1981, pp. 272-279.
  • Zhengyi Wu, Zhe-Kun Zhou, Michael G. Gilbert: Moraceae. : Ficus , p. 37 - online with the same text as the printed work , In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven, Deyuan Hong (Eds.): Flora of China. Volume 5: Ulmaceae through Basellaceae. Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis, December 19, 2003, ISBN 1-930723-27-X .
  • Richard P. Wunderlin: Moraceae. : Ficus - the same text online as the printed work , In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 3: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, 1997, ISBN 0-19-511246-6 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Jules Janick: Horticultural Reviews. Vol. 34, Wiley, 2008, ISBN 978-0-470-17153-0 , p. 165.
  2. ↑ Zhengyi Wu, Zhe-Kun Zhou, Michael G. Gilbert: Moraceae. : Ficus , p. 37 - online with the same text as the printed work , In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven, Deyuan Hong (Eds.): Flora of China. Volume 5: Ulmaceae through Basellaceae. Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis, December 19, 2003, ISBN 1-930723-27-X .
  3. ↑ Richard P. Wunderlin: Moraceae. : Ficus - the same text online as the printed work , In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 3: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, 1997, ISBN 0-19-511246-6 .
  4. ↑ D. Ohri, TN Khoshoo: Nuclear DNA contents in the genus Ficus (Moraceae). In: Plant Systematics and Evolution , Volume 156, Issue 1, 1987, pp. 1-4. JSTOR 23673783 , doi : 10.1007 / BF00937196
  5. ↑ Ficus carica - structure of the inflorescence and pollination mechanism - data sheet of the University of Marburg: http://online-media.uni-marburg.de/biologie/nutz Pflanzen/sylvia/interest.htm ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ Linné 1753: scanned in at biodiversitylibrary.org
  7. ^ Ficus at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Helmut Genaust: Etymological dictionary of botanical plant names. 3rd, completely revised and expanded edition. Birkhäuser, Basel / Boston / Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-7643-2390-6 , p. 248 (reprint ISBN 3-937872-16-7 ).
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd fe ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp fq fr fs ft fu fv fw fx fy fz ga gb gc gd ge gf gg gh gi gj gk gl gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt gu gv gw gx gy gz ha hb hc hd he hf hg hh hi hj hk hl hm hn ho hp hq hr hs ht hu hv hw hx hy hz ia ib ic id ie if ig ih ii ij ik il im in io ip iq ir is it iu iv iw ix iy iz ja jb jc jd je jf jg jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp jq jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb kc kd ke kf kg kh ki kj kk kl km kn ko kp kq kr ks kt ku kv kw kx ky kz la lb lc ld le lf lg lh li lj lk ll lm ln lo lp lq lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc m d me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml mm mn mo mp mq mr ms mt mu mv mw mx my mz na nb nc nd ne nf ng nh ni nj nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of og oh oi oj ok ol om on oo op oq or os ot ou ov ow ox oy oz pa pb pc pd pe pf pg ph pi pj pk pl pm pn po pp pq pr ps pt pu pv pw px py pz qa qb qc qd qe qf qg qh qi qj qk ql qm qn qo qp qq qr qs qt qu qv qw qx qy qz ra rb rc rd re rf rg rh ri rj rk rl rm rn ro rp rq rr rs rt ru rv rw rx ry rz sa sb sc sd se sf sg sh si sj sk sl sm sn so sp sq sr ss st su sv sw sx sy sz ta tb tc td te tf tg th ti tj tk tl tm tn to tp tq tr ts tt tu tv tw tx ty tz ua ub uc ud ue uf ug uh ui uj uk ul um un uo up uq ur us ut uu uv uw ux uy uz va vb vc vd ve vf vg vh vi vj vk vl vm vn vo vp vq vr vs vt vu vv vw vx vy vz wa wb wc wd we wf wg wh wi wj wk wl wm wn wo wp wq wr ws wt wu wv ww wx wy wz xa xb xc xd xe xf xg xh xi xj xk xl xm xn xo xp xq xr xs xt xu xv xw xx xy xz ya yb yc yd ye yf yg yh yi yj yk yl ym yn yo yp yq yr ys yt yu yv yw yx yy yz za zb zc zd ze zf zg zh zi zj zk zl zm zn zo zp zq zr zs zt figweb.org .
  10. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Ficus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du figweb.org .
  12. ↑ a b Entries on Ficus at Plants For A Future
  13. ↑ Fig paradise in the middle of Simmering orf.at, May 13, 2018, accessed on May 13, 2018.
  14. ↑ a b Gordon Cheers (Ed.): Botanica. The ABC of plants. 10,000 species in text and images . Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft, 2003, ISBN 3-8331-1600-5 (therein pages 373-376).

Web links

Commons : Figs ( Ficus )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

further reading

  • Yinxian Shi, Huabin Hu, Youkai Xu, Aizhong Liu: An ethnobotanical study of the less known wild edible figs (genus Ficus) native to Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. In: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine , Volume 10, 2014, p. 68. doi : 10.1186 / 1746-4269-10-68
  • Carl Peter Thunberg: Ficus genus. , 1786. scanned at bibdigital .
  • Ephraim Philip Lansky, Helena Maaria Paavilainen: Figs: The Genus Ficus - Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times , CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 1-4200-8967-6 .
  • Bhanumas Chantarasuwan, Cornelis C. Berg, Finn Kjellberg, Nina Rønsted, Marjorie Garcia, Claudia Baider, Peter C. van Welzen: A New Classification of Ficus Subsection Urostigma (Moraceae) Based on Four Nuclear DNA Markers (ITS, ETS, G3pdh, and ncpGS), Morphology and Leaf Anatomy. In: PLOS ONE , Volume 10, Issue 6, e0128289, June 24, 2015. doi : 10.1371 / journal.pone.0128289