The world of figs offers more than just the sweet, edible fruits many enjoy. Within this diverse group exists a fascinating counterpart known as the caprifig, a unique type of fig tree with a distinct purpose. Its existence is deeply intertwined with the life cycle of other fig varieties, highlighting a remarkable interdependence in the natural world.
What is a Caprifig?
A caprifig is a wild variety of fig, scientifically classified as Ficus carica var. sylvestris. It differs significantly from the common edible fig (Ficus carica) that people typically consume. While both belong to the same species, the caprifig is primarily a male fig tree, bearing fruits that are generally not eaten by humans.
The fruits of a caprifig are often smaller and tougher in texture compared to edible figs. These figs contain both male and short-styled female flowers within their hollow, fleshy structure, known as a syconium. This internal floral arrangement is a key characteristic that sets it apart from the edible fig, which typically has long-styled female flowers.
The Caprifig’s Unique Role in Fig Pollination
The caprifig plays an important role in the pollination of many cultivated fig varieties, particularly those known as Smyrna figs. This process relies on a specialized symbiotic relationship with a tiny insect, the fig wasp, specifically Blastophaga psenes. The caprifig serves as a nursery for these wasps.
The fig wasp’s life cycle begins when a female wasp, laden with pollen, enters a caprifig through a small opening called the ostiole. Once inside, she lays her eggs in some of the short-styled female flowers, which then develop into gall-like structures instead of seeds. As she moves within the fig, she inadvertently pollinates other male flowers with pollen from the fig where she was born.
Male fig wasps, which are blind and wingless, emerge first from their galls and then seek out and mate with female wasps still inside their galls. The males also chew escape tunnels through the fig’s wall, allowing the winged, impregnated females to emerge.
As these new female wasps exit the caprifig, they become covered with pollen from the male flowers inside. These pollen-dusted female wasps then fly off in search of other figs, including edible fig varieties, continuing the cycle of pollination.
Is a Caprifig Edible?
While botanically a fig, the fruit of the caprifig is generally not considered edible for human consumption. Reasons for this include their tough texture, often dry flesh, and a lack of sweetness found in common edible figs. Some caprifigs may contain pollen and can have a dry taste.
The presence of fig wasps within the caprifig’s syconium is another factor. Although the wasps are typically broken down by enzymes within the fig before ripening in edible varieties, its purpose is to facilitate the life cycle of the fig wasp and, by extension, the pollination of other fig trees. Some persistent caprifig varieties have been noted to produce at least one edible crop, although this is not their main function.