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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- Dalmatie Fig Family
One of the family of fig varieties that are grouped into categories of similar characteristics. Sometimes called Dalmatie Type. Green/yellow skinned, with orange to red interiors.
- 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: