Common Fig
A species that can be found in eastern parts of Haleth. Its most common use is as a food source for the ancestries and wildlife alike.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The leaves of the common fig are rounded in shape, measuring 12" (30 cm) long as well as across and have a relatively long leaf stalk. They are deeply cut into 3-5 lobes and are roughly heart-shaped at the base, alternating in orientation on a branch. The leaf margins are toothed and the topside of the leaf is a glossy green. They have rough hairs present on the top and bottom; the overall leaf texture is leathery and has visible ribs and a network of veins. In autumn, they turn yellow.
The common fig has gray, smooth bark as well as male and female flowers. Both sets of flowers are very small and borne inconspicuously inside a fleshy green receptacle on different plants. The fleshy receptacles appear in late spring - around the same time that the wasps come out of dormancy.
Biological Traits
The common fig is a typically broad-spreading plant and deciduous in nature. The leaves turn yellow in autumn.
Genetics and Reproduction
The plants are fertilized by female wasps. The wasps take the pollen from the tree from which they hatched to one where they will lay their eggs. However, most cultivated plants can produce fruit without pollination. The fruit of the common fig (the previously mentioned fleshy receptacle) houses numerous small seeds. When the green receptacles turn purple or brown in color - it has become edible.
Ecology and Habitats
It favors rocky places - sometimes making itself home in old rock walls! It is commonly found in broadleaf forests.
Additional Information
Domestication
It has been domesticated across Haleth.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Because it produces edible fruit, it is commonly found in salads, savory dishes, and desserts!
Note: Plants in the genus Ficus produce latex/latex compounds that can cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals in the various ancestries of the world, sometimes resulting in anaphylactic shock. Ficus carica, while it dissolves the body of the female wasp, does not produce a wasp-related allergy. This is because the plant efficiently breaks down the insect for nutrients until nothing remains.
Scientific Name
Ficus carica
Origin/Ancestry
Family: Moraceae
Conservation Status
Currently, this species is not under protection. There are numerous individuals in the wild as well as in cultivation by the ancestries of the world.
Average Height
It can grow to a height of 33' (10 m) tall.
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Comments
Author's Notes
This is a plant that can be found here on Earth! The following is where it can typically be found: Native Region: South-Western Asia However, it has naturalized in the Mediterranean, meaning that it became established and now lives in the wild of this region. This most likely happened due to humans - but plants can also become naturalized in an area due to migration of wildlife!