Fig Glossary
Terminology, Abbreviations & Acronyms
In any particular field of study, there is a specific terminology (vocabulary) associated with it. Figs are no different. These terms can be a bit daunting for “newbies”. Some fig terms are even obscure to seasoned fig veterans. This glossary is designed to be a powerful resource for understanding terminology that is unique to the fig community.
Note: Use the search function to quickly go directly to your term or to find synonyms for the primary list.
d
- Dato Syed Elias
Dato is a fig collector from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Some of his varieties have made their way into the US, including the highly-rated Constantine de Algerie.
Read More - Dauphine Fig Family
One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Dauphine Type, and is somewhat obscure, with only a few varieties: Dauphine (Common), Dauphine (San Pedro), and Adam.
- David Burke
David Burke, "The Fig Hunter", along with his family, has become well-known in the fig community for his numerous new ortet fig variety finds in California.
- Deciduous
Falling when mature. The characteristic of a tree or shrub that annually sheds its leaves. Ficus carica fig trees are deciduous.
- Decurrent
Prolonged down the stem or petiole below insertion.
- Dentate
Toothed sharply.
- Denticulate
Finely serrate; denticulate.
- Desert King Fig Family
One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Desert King Type. Though a small set of varieties, these San Pedro type figs are very popular in the Pacific Northwest for their high-quality brebas.
- DFIC
Short for [UC] Davis FICus, the identification system used by the National Plant Germplasm System to track its fig (Ficus) varieties. Sometimes referred to as the Site Identifier. For example DFIC 277 has the common name Beer's Black.
- Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is often used as a soil amendment and/or as a treatment for ants and other insects.
- Dichogamy
Maturation of pistils and stamens at different periods; proterogyny.
- Dimorphism
Having two unlike forms, usually in the case of leaves; heterophylly. For example, in the case of fig leaves, varieties have a "typical" leaf pattern, but can produce leaves with different quantities of lobes and shapes.
- Dioecious
A plant having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individual plants. For figs, most varieties are considered dioecious: The male caprifig type produces the pollen for the female trees (smyrna, san pedro, and common fig types). Though in the case of the common fig type, and the breba crop of the san pedro type, pollination (caprification) is not required for fruit production, but it can improve the size and quality of the figs.
- Diploid
Having two sets of chromosomes.
- Drosophila suzukii
Often referred to as SWD, is a fruit fly that can be very damaging to figs. Bagging figs before the flies can enter through the eyes can reduce the impact of SWD. See Drosophila suzukii.
- Drupe
Plural, achenes. A dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit. Though figs are often referred to as fruits, they are actually containers for the dozens or hundreds of individual tiny fruits or "pips" contained within a single fig. Each achene contains a single seed, surrounded by a hard ovary wall.
- Drupe
Though, the fig, itself, is not technically a fruit, but a casing (the syconium or receptacle) that encloses dozens or hundreds of tiny fruits called "pips", drupes, or drupelets.
- Dvsh
Honey is a flavor sometimes associated with some fig varieties and/or a term used for the nectar within a fig, which can ooze from the ostiole. Some varieties include “honey” in their names and can be translated from:
e
- Elliptic
Elliptical. Length more than twice the width, the margins rounded.
- Emarginate
Notched at apex.
- Endemic
Native; restricted to a certain place or region.
- Endosperm
Storage tissue surrounding embryo in a seed or achene.
- English Brown Turkey Fig Family
One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called English Brown Turkey Type. This family is popular in the PNW.
- Entire
Margin not indented.
- Epidermis
The outermost layer of plant tissue, except where it is replaced by periderm.
- Epigenetics
The chemical modifications that regulate how, where, and when specific genes are turned on and off. These processes do not alter the DNA, itself. Environmental factors can play a critical role in these processes. Epigenetics, also called epigenomics, studies how certain epigenetic modifications may be passed on from one generation to the next. The collection of all epigenetic changes in a genome is called an epigenome.
See the article What is epigenetics? for a good overview.
- Epiphyte
A plant growing on, but not nourished by, another plant.
- Episperm
The hard, external coating of a seed; the testa.
- Equilateral
Equal-sided.
- Essfeige
An edible fig, usually Ficus carica, but can be of other species. "Fig" is often in variety names, in other languages:
- Arabic: Teen
- Catalan: Fig; plural: Figues
- Chinese: wu hua guo
- French: Figue; plural: Figues
- German: Feige; Essfeige
- Greek: Sýko; (or Siko) plural: Sýka (or Sika)
- Hebrew: Te'enah; plural: Tnm
- India (Hindi): Anjir
- Italian: Fica (feminine); Fico (masculine)
- Portuguese: Figo; plural: Figos
- Spanish: Higo; plural: Higos
- Turkish: Incir
- Everbearing
The characteristic of producing figs from the initial production season of a fig tree all the way up through dormancy.
- E. W. Maslin
Edwin Wesley Maslin was largely known by his initials, and for his life as a lawyer, politician, and miner, more than his contributions to the fig community. He did not write as much about figs as other well-known fig personalities. However, he is mentioned frequently throughout publications by other authors. A few fig varieties were named after him: Maslin No. 91, Maslin 150, Maslin Edible Variant, and Maslin.
- Eye
The apical orifice connecting the cavity of receptacle with exterior. It is the "eye" or opening to the syconium at the bottom of a fig, which is lined with involucral bracts. It is through this opening that the "fig wasp" is able to enter and exit for caprification. It can also be the means through which other harmful insects and water can spoil a fig, especially when the ostioles are larger.
f
- Falcate
Sickle-shaped.
- Fall Crop
The second main crop of figs that occurs in autumn. Sometimes called "second main crop", "fall crop", or "autumn crop".
- Fascicle
A close bundle or cluster.
- Feige
An edible fig, usually Ficus carica, but can be of other species. "Fig" is often in variety names, in other languages:
- Arabic: Teen
- Catalan: Fig; plural: Figues
- Chinese: wu hua guo
- French: Figue; plural: Figues
- German: Feige; Essfeige
- Greek: Sýko; (or Siko) plural: Sýka (or Sika)
- Hebrew: Te'enah; plural: Tnm
- India (Hindi): Anjir
- Italian: Fica (feminine); Fico (masculine)
- Portuguese: Figo; plural: Figos
- Spanish: Higo; plural: Higos
- Turkish: Incir
- Fica
An edible fig, usually Ficus carica, but can be of other species. "Fig" is often in variety names, in other languages:
- Arabic: Teen
- Catalan: Fig; plural: Figues
- Chinese: wu hua guo
- French: Figue; plural: Figues
- German: Feige; Essfeige
- Greek: Sýko; (or Siko) plural: Sýka (or Sika)
- Hebrew: Te'enah; plural: Tnm
- India (Hindi): Anjir
- Italian: Fica (feminine); Fico (masculine)
- Portuguese: Figo; plural: Figos
- Spanish: Higo; plural: Higos
- Turkish: Incir
- Fico
An edible fig, usually Ficus carica, but can be of other species. "Fig" is often in variety names, in other languages:
- Arabic: Teen
- Catalan: Fig; plural: Figues
- Chinese: wu hua guo
- French: Figue; plural: Figues
- German: Feige; Essfeige
- Greek: Sýko; (or Siko) plural: Sýka (or Sika)
- Hebrew: Te'enah; plural: Tnm
- India (Hindi): Anjir
- Italian: Fica (feminine); Fico (masculine)
- Portuguese: Figo; plural: Figos
- Spanish: Higo; plural: Higos
- Turkish: Incir
- Ficus
The genus that includes over 800 species and are commonly referred to as fig trees. The majority of edible fig varieties will fall under the carica species. However, some will fall under palmata, sycomorus, and others.
- Ficus: the exotic species
Ficus: the exotic species by Ira J. Condit, published in 1969, is an excellent resource for fig species other than carica.
- Fig
An edible fig, usually Ficus carica, but can be of other species. "Fig" is often in variety names, in other languages:
- Arabic: Teen
- Catalan: Fig; plural: Figues
- Chinese: wu hua guo
- French: Figue; plural: Figues
- German: Feige; Essfeige
- Greek: Sýko; (or Siko) plural: Sýka (or Sika)
- Hebrew: Te'enah; plural: Tnm
- India (Hindi): Anjir
- Italian: Fica (feminine); Fico (masculine)
- Portuguese: Figo; plural: Figos
- Spanish: Higo; plural: Higos
- Turkish: Incir
- Fig Bump
Above the intersection of a leaf stem and the branch, two "bumps" will often form. One is a new lateral branch. The other is the beginning of a fig, called a "fig bump".
- Fig Cavity
A void within the fig. Some varieties of figs are prone to cavities and can lead to faster spoiling if the void is open through the eye.
- Fig Collection
Fig varieties are sometimes grouped by collections. Many collections are derived from a particular nursery or collector. Others then begin collecting varieties from those collections. Some examples are: Belleclaire Nursery, Figues du Monde, Giorgio Grassi Fig Collection, Gorgi M, LSU, Pierre Baud, Planet Fig, Pomona Gardens, and Prusch Park. Another collectable group of figs are the Variegated.
- Fig Cutting
A small branch taken from a fig tree used to propagate a new fig tree with the identical genetics of the "mother tree". "Acceptable" fig cuttings are at least 6 inches long and about the width of a #2 pencil, or thicker, with at least 3 nodes. Ideal cuttings are about the thickness of a "Sharpie" marker, or larger.
- Fig Families
Grouping fig varieties into “Families” has a few benefits. It is a way of putting fig varieties into categories of similar characteristics. This can be helpful when a collector wishes to diversify into different varieties with various qualities. Or just the opposite, a collector may prefer varieties with similar characteristics.
Note: Though the term "type", instead of family, is often used in connection with fig family names (e.g. Mt Etna type), Fig Types are a technically different classification of figs. Most veterans understand this in context, but can be confusing to newbies.
- Fig Form
One of the characteristics of figs for variety identification. "Fig shape" can also determine the ability of a fig variety to withstand rain.
The form of the fig fruit, like the color, is affected by climatic conditions, by the presence or absence of fertile seeds, and by vigor of growth. Although there is considerable variation in fruit on the same tree and during the same season, forms of fresh figs are fairly characteristic of the variety. Form is commonly associated with the presence or absence of a neck.
Ira J. Condit, The Fig, page 60 (digital page 78). - Fig Leaf Characteristics
Identifying the characteristics of fig leaves may help to identify particular varieties: Lobes, 3-Lobed, 5-lobed, Finger Lobes, Sinuses, Spade, Serration, etc.
- Figlet
A fig that is quite young, typically pea-sized, up through just before its first growth spurt.