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Read this article to learn about Ficus . After reading this article you will learn about: 1. Meaning of Ficus 2. Importance of Ficus 3. Medicinal Values.
Meaning of Ficus:
Ficus is a genus of about under the family Moraceae, containing approximately 750 species of fig trees, 150 shrubs and vines native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the warm temperate zone.
The genus includes one species, Ficus carica known as ‘Common fig’ that produces fruits commercially known as ‘Fig’.
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A fig ‘fruit’ is derived from a specially adapted type of inflorescence (structural arrangement of flowers) is commonly called the ‘fruit’ is actually a specialized structure or accessory fruit called a syconium an involuted (nearly closed) receptacle with many small flowers arranged on the inner surface. Thus the actual flowers of the fig are unseen unless the fig is cut open.
Among the more famous species are the Sacred Fig tree (Ficus religiosa) and the Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis).
Figs occupy a wide variety of ecological niche; from Common Fig (Ficus carica), a small temperate deciduous tree to Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) a hemi-epiphyte with thin tough leaves on pendulous stalks or to the Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila), a vine whose small, hard leaves form a dense carpet of foliage over rocks or garden walls.
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The figs with versatile plant habits have undergone adaptive radiation in different biogeographic regions. In the tropics, it is quite common to find that Ficus is the most species-rich plant genus in a particular forest. In Asia, as many as 70 or more species can co-exist.
Although identification of many of the Ficus species can be difficult but figs as a group are relatively easy to recognize. The presence of aerial roots often gives the distinguished identity of figs. Figs clutch of vital importance throughout the tropics in cultural as well medicinal aspect.
Importance of Ficus:
Ficus is a relatively ancient genus being at least 60 million years old, and possibly as old as 80 million years. The fruits of most of Ficus species are edible and impart economic importance or eaten as bush food.
Figs are also of paramount cultural importance throughout the tropics, both as objects of worship and for their many medicinal uses. The fig trees have profoundly influenced culture through several religious traditions namely in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Islam.
The medicinal values of different parts of different figs were demonstrated in different aboriginal literatures. Some of figs are cultivated ornamentals or as a source of rubber and paper Fig tree’s wood and the latex precludes were used for many purposes; it was for example used to make mummy caskets in Ancient Egypt.
On the other hand, certain fig species mainly Ficus cotinifolia, Ficus glabrata and Ficus padifolia were traditionally used in Mesoamerica. Ficus natalensis bark was used to produce bark-cloth in Uganda. Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) and Indian Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) are identified as powerful air-cleaning plants in the NASA Clean Air Study.
Medicinal Values of Ficus:
Since the evolution of mankind, man had no other source of medicine than plants and figs have served a successful history against an array of human as well animal ailments. A number of medicinal values have been attributed by fig plants.
Different traditional literatures are literal witness of it. Along with the progression of science, herbalists aimed to substantiate scientifically with the help of selected biological assays about the ethno medicinal claims of figs. In this literature, it was attempted to give a view of medicinal uses of some of fig species.
