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.
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- Relative Humidity
Relative humidity (RH) refers to the moisture content (i.e., water vapor) of the atmosphere, expressed as a percentage of the amount of moisture that can be retained by the atmosphere (moisture-holding capacity) at a given temperature and pressure without condensation. If the relative humidity is 100 percent (i.e., dew point temperature and actual air temperature are the same), this does NOT necessarily mean that precipitation will occur. It simply means that the maximum amount of moisture is in the air at the particular temperature the air is at. Fog is essentially 100% humidity.
- Reniform
Kidney-shaped.
- Repand
With slightly uneven or undulating margin.
- Reticulate
Netted.
- Retuse
Broadly or shallowly notched.
- Revolute
Rolled backward from margin.
- RH
Relative humidity (RH) refers to the moisture content (i.e., water vapor) of the atmosphere, expressed as a percentage of the amount of moisture that can be retained by the atmosphere (moisture-holding capacity) at a given temperature and pressure without condensation. If the relative humidity is 100 percent (i.e., dew point temperature and actual air temperature are the same), this does NOT necessarily mean that precipitation will occur. It simply means that the maximum amount of moisture is in the air at the particular temperature the air is at. Fog is essentially 100% humidity.
- Rhomboid
Quadrangular, but with lateral angles oblique.
- Rigato
"Striped", Rigato, Regalto, Rimada. Variegated figs cannot be reproduced from seed. They are a very rare spontaneous mutation that occurs in nature once in a million plants. Then the variegated varieties can be cloned via cuttings.
Some variegated figs have very clear striping and are easily categorized. Others may have some light variegated characteristics that some may not wish to group into the variegated category. Striped varieties can "revert", that is, to lose their variegated mutation.
- Rimada
"Striped", Rigato, Regalto, Rimada. Variegated figs cannot be reproduced from seed. They are a very rare spontaneous mutation that occurs in nature once in a million plants. Then the variegated varieties can be cloned via cuttings.
Some variegated figs have very clear striping and are easily categorized. Others may have some light variegated characteristics that some may not wish to group into the variegated category. Striped varieties can "revert", that is, to lose their variegated mutation.
- RKN
Often abbreviated as "RKN", is a microscopic root parasite that can be a problem for figs and other plants, especially in southern sandy soil.
- Rocco
Vladimiro is known for his Italian website, Fruit Seeker, but Google translates it quite well. His interests are broader than just figs, but he has a nice little collection of fig varieties. His European perspective on figs is helpful to those of us in the US. Some of his varieties or strains may have Rocco or VR as suffixes.
- Root
Other than the obvious fact that fig trees have roots, rooting is a method of propagation that maintains the genetics of the mother tree. There are many rooting methods used among the fig community.
- Root-Knot Nematode
Often abbreviated as "RKN", is a microscopic root parasite that can be a problem for figs and other plants, especially in southern sandy soil.
- Root Stock
The fig tree onto which scions are grafted. Some varieties of figs have strong root structure and function by nature. While other fig varieties tend to be weak. Some varieties don't root easily for propagation, but graft well onto good root stock. Or space can be saved by grafting multiple varieties onto a single root stock (frankenfig).
- Rubiginous
Having the appearance or color of iron rust; rusty-looking.
- Rugose
Wrinkled.
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- Saccate
Bearing a pouch or saclike body.
- Sacred Origin
Lee Anne, located in Anderson, California, is committed to finding and conserving unique and useful fig trees and bringing them to the fig community. You may view an interview of Lee Anne on YouTube.
- Sagittate
Shaped like an arrowhead.
- Sal's Corleone Fig Family
Or sometimes called the Columbaro Nero Fig Family. One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Sal's Corleone Type.
- San Pedro Fig Type
A fig variety that produces both an early breba crop on the prior year's wood that does not require caprification, and a second summer crop, like smyrna types, that requires caprification to produce edible figs.
- Scaberulous
Minutely scabrous.
- Scabrid
Slightly scabrous.
- Scabrous
Rough to the touch; sandpapery.
- Scale
Plural, bracts. Reduced leaf or scale. The "scales" that line the "eye" or ostiole of the fig.
- Scandent
Climbing or trailing.
- Scarious
Thin and membranous.
- Scion
A shoot, branch, whip or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting.
- Sclereid
A sclerotic cell (hardened).
- Scurf
Small, loose, or powdery scales on a stem or leaf.
- Second Caprifig Crop
The second or spring caprifig crop, maturing in June in California.
- Second Main Crop
The second main crop of figs that occurs in autumn. Sometimes called "second main crop", "fall crop", or "autumn crop".
- Seedling
In common botanical terms, it is simply, "a young plant, especially one raised from seed and not from a cutting". However, among the fig community, the seedling (or "chance seedling") term carries the idea that a completely new fig variety, with its own unique genetics, is created when grown from seed. This applies to either natural selection (wild fig trees) or human breeding. Such fig varieties then deserve their own unique name. In botany, the actual term that may be more accurate is "ortet": the original plant from which the members of a clone have descended. In contrast, see Unknown.
- Sepal
The sepals of each flower within the fig, forming a whorl that encloses the ovary.
- Sericeous
Silky.
- Serrate
Saw-toothed.
- Serrulate
Finely serrate; denticulate.
- Sessile
- Setose
Thickly set with bristles or bristly hairs.
- Siko
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
- Sinuate
Margin alternately bowed inward and outward.
- Sinus
A bay, recess, or indentation.
- Siyah
The color "black" or "dark" is often in the name of fig varieties and can be translated from:
- Catalan: Negre
- French: Noire (feminine); Noir (masculine)
- Greek: Mávros
- Italian: Nero
- Portuguese: preta (feminine); preto (masculine)
- Spanish: negra (feminine); negro (masculine)
- Turkish: siyah
- Smyrna Fig Type
A female fig variety that produces a single summer crop which requires caprification (pollination) via the "fig wasp" or hand pollination in order to produce edible figs. Pollen is only produced by the male caprifigs.
- Soft Cutting
A pervasive, but not entirely accurate term used within the fig community that refers to a soft, non-woody, or non-lignified cutting. Cuttings may actually be green, yet well-lignified. More accurate terms may be: Soft Cutting, Non-lignified Cutting, or Non-woody Cutting.
- Spatulate
Rounded above and contracted below to a narrow base.
- Sphagnum Moss
Similar to peat moss, which is decomposed sphagnum, but maintains its stringy-like properties. It has excellent water holding capacity, while providing proper aeration, and is used in the sphagnum rooting method.
- Spherical
One of the fig form descriptors, also called "Round", "ball-shaped", "globular", or "globose". See the Fig Form Descriptions page for more information.
- Sport
The change in the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form that may be transmitted to subsequent generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes.
In botany, a sport or bud sport, traditionally called lusus, is a part of a plant that shows morphological differences from the rest of the plant. Sports may differ by foliage shape or color, flowers, fruit, or branch structure. The cause is generally thought to be a chance genetic mutation.
Wikipedia "Sport" Article