Ficus
Fruit and berry crops. Ficus (Latin: Ficus) is a large genus of plants in the Moraceae family. The species, with the Latin name “Ficus carica,” is one of the oldest plants domesticated by humans.
For at least eleven thousand years, humans have been cultivating this species of the genus Ficus for its hearty and nutritious fruits, which we call “figs.”
Description
The variety of species allows these plants to assume a wide variety of forms, and therefore, depending on environmental conditions, they can be branched shrubs, tall trees, or climbing vines. Moreover, many ficus, before becoming fully established above-ground plants, live on supports, similar to plants botanists call “epiphytes.” When their roots reach the surface, the plants anchor themselves in the soil, becoming truly terrestrial, possessing a powerful support that supports a fantastically wide tree crown. Although “epiphytes” are plants that don’t threaten the life of the supporting plants, ficus trees, with their powerful roots, can sometimes kill their “landlord” with an overly strong, friendly hug.
Ficus leaves also vary widely. For example, the “Ficus elastica” and “Ficus benjamina” have solid, oval-shaped leaves with smooth edges, while the Ficus carica, also known as the “fig tree,” has lobed leaves, familiar to everyone from the picture of Adam and Eve covering their private parts with “fig leaves.” In tropical regions, the leaves are evergreen, but there are also deciduous species of ficus. Ficus flowers are very small and shy, so they hide their inflorescences inside a hollow, spherical receptacle. At the top of the receptacle is an opening for wasps with long proboscises, which pollinate the flowers, transferring pollen from the male to the female flowers, and also lay their own eggs here. This partnership between wasps and ficus is a remarkable natural phenomenon.
From pollinated female flowers, single-seeded fruits are born, located inside a hollow receptacle. Therefore, what people usually call a Ficus fruit, for example, a fig, is actually a harmoniously arranged natural structure that provides shelter for numerous small fruits surrounded by a soft nutritious shell. Botanists called such “fruits” the word “Siconium”. The fruits of most species of plants of the genus Ficus are edible, however, only the “fig”, “syconium” of the Fig tree, has gained worldwide popularity and has been grown by humans since ancient times.
Latex flows through the plant vessels of all types of Ficus, the color of which varies from white to yellowish. The amount of latex secreted varies from species to species. The leader in latex is Ficus rubber, which is used to produce rubber.
Varieties
The Ficus plant genus is quite numerous, with more than eight hundred species in its ranks. Among them, the most famous are the following:
* Ficus carica, or Carian (lat. Ficus carica), called Fig tree, fig tree, Fig..
* Ficus elastica, or rubbery (lat. Ficus elastica).
* Ficus benjamina (lat. Ficus benjamina) is a popular indoor plant.
* Ficus lyre (lat. Ficus lyrata), distinguished by picturesque leaves.
* Ficus blunted (lat. Ficus retusa).
* Dwarf ficus (lat. Ficus pumila).
* Ficus varifolia (lat. Ficus diversifolia).
Usage
Scientists believe that the Fig tree or Fig is the very first plant that people began to specifically grow for their own needs. It is interesting that the fresh fruits of the tree are not rich in useful components, but when dried, the fruits become very high in calories, quickly satisfying a person’s hunger. In addition, the dry fruit contains the dietary mineral, manganese, and some other minerals beneficial to the human body, as well as vitamin K.
Several species are popular indoor plants that successfully purify indoor air from harmful emissions from modern finishing materials.
Ficus elastica serves as a source of rubber.
Ficus is also used by traditional healers to treat human ailments.
She freaked out and created a tiktok house | Ficus
