Flora of New Zealand Series

fig

Deciduous, dioecious shrub or small tree up to 10 m high. Young stems ± glabrous to moderately hairy, becoming glabrous. Lvs sparsely to moderately hairy above, often densely hispid below, usually deeply palmately 3-7-lobed and irregularly serrate or crenate, broadly ovate, obtuse to cordate and symmetric at base, c. 10-25 cm long; veins not prominently raised; petiole < blade; stipules 2 per node, glabrous, oblong, caducous. Infl. sparsely hairy, pyriform, green, shortly pedunculate. Syncarp green to purplish, 5-8 cm long; achenes irregularly ovoid to subglobose, c. 2 mm long.

N.: established locally from Auckland City northwards, also recorded for Opotiki District, Napier, and Levin; S.: Nelson City; K.

S. Europe, W. Asia 1870

Waste places, scrubland.

F. carica is cultivated for its edible frs (figs) and is also grown as an ornamental.