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How to be a Fig

How to be a Fig Daniel H. Janzen Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 The 900-odd species of Ficus (20, 21) constitute the most distinctive of the widespread genera of tropical plants. Figs have (a) a complex obligatory mutualism with their pollinating agaonid fig wasps, yet are found in almost all tropical habitat types and geographic locations [this sets them apart from ant-acacias (63-65), euglossine-orchids (24, 26), moth-yuccas (45, 88, 89,), ant-epiphytes (66, 98) and ant-fungi (109)]; (b) fruits eaten by a large variety of vertebrates, most of which appear to be fig seed dispersers rather than seed predators; (c) minute seeds despite the adults' long-lived woody life f orm; (d) exceptionally numerous congeners in almost any mainland tropical forest habitat; (e) every woody life-form (deciduous, evergreen; tree, strangler, epiphyte, vine, scandent shrub, bush); if) intra-population inter-tree asynchronous flowering and fruiting in many habitats, yet strong intra-tree synchronous flowering and fruiting; (g) heavy outcrossed pollina­ tion even when the density of flowering conspecifics is extremely low; (h) no inter-specific competition for pollinators within a habitat irrespective of the number of Ficus species present and the timing of sexual reproduction; (i) heavy visitation of fruiting crowns by seed dispersers even when http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Annual Reviews

How to be a Fig

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Publisher
Annual Reviews
Copyright
Copyright 1979 Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
Subject
Review Articles
ISSN
0066-4162
DOI
10.1146/annurev.es.10.110179.000305
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Daniel H. Janzen Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 The 900-odd species of Ficus (20, 21) constitute the most distinctive of the widespread genera of tropical plants. Figs have (a) a complex obligatory mutualism with their pollinating agaonid fig wasps, yet are found in almost all tropical habitat types and geographic locations [this sets them apart from ant-acacias (63-65), euglossine-orchids (24, 26), moth-yuccas (45, 88, 89,), ant-epiphytes (66, 98) and ant-fungi (109)]; (b) fruits eaten by a large variety of vertebrates, most of which appear to be fig seed dispersers rather than seed predators; (c) minute seeds despite the adults' long-lived woody life f orm; (d) exceptionally numerous congeners in almost any mainland tropical forest habitat; (e) every woody life-form (deciduous, evergreen; tree, strangler, epiphyte, vine, scandent shrub, bush); if) intra-population inter-tree asynchronous flowering and fruiting in many habitats, yet strong intra-tree synchronous flowering and fruiting; (g) heavy outcrossed pollina­ tion even when the density of flowering conspecifics is extremely low; (h) no inter-specific competition for pollinators within a habitat irrespective of the number of Ficus species present and the timing of sexual reproduction; (i) heavy visitation of fruiting crowns by seed dispersers even when

Journal

Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics – Annual Reviews

Published: Nov 1, 1979

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