Digital Garden

Ficus virens

White fig

 Scientific name- Ficus virens 

Common name- White fig 

Family-Moraceae 

Habit type-Tree 

Leaves 

Alternate on the stem, 5 to 20 cm long, 2.5 to 6 cm wide. Ovate lanceolate in shape, which contrasts to the broader leaves of the white fig. Leaves thin, shiny green above, duller paler green below. 

Leaves with a short but noticeable tip, often curling to one side. Leaf base is somewhat rounded. Leaf stalks are narrow and long, 2 to 5 cm in length. 

Bark 

The bark is smooth and grey with various bumps and lenticels on the trunk. Small branches smooth, but with scars of leaf stipules. 

Inflorescence 

Inflorescence is Syconium, which is an urn-shaped structure that contains the fruit and flowers. The syconium is lined with tiny flowers that develop into ovaries. 

Flowers 

Flowers unisexual; inflorescence a syconia, axillary, paired, 1-1.5 cm across, globose, often obconical; peduncle 1-6 mm long, slender, pubescent; basal bracts 3, ovate, acute, persistent; orifice plane, closed by 3 flat apical bracts in a disc 1 mm wide, internal bristles abundant, white, chaffy-vesicular; flowers of 4 kinds; 

Male flowers ostiolar, sessile, in 2-3 rings; tepals 2-3, ovate, acute or shortly gamophyllous; stamen 1; filament 0.5 mm; anther oblong, parallel; 

Female flowers sessile; tepals 3-4, free; ovary superior, 1.2 mm, obovoid, sessile or stalked, red-brown; style filiform, tapering; gall flowers sessile or shortly pedicellate; tepals 3-4, reddish, spathulate to linear-lanceolate, free, ovary sessile or stalked, red-brown. Syconium white and fleshed with pink when ripe; achenes smooth. 

Fruit 

Its short-stalked syconia (figs) are round, 7–12 mm wide, purple with dark spots when ripe, and develop singly or in pairs on the bare portions of leafy twigs, or in clusters of up to 4 figs on leafless older branchlets. 

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FACTS & MEDICINAL USES 

A decoction of the bark is used as an injection in the treatment of leucorrhoea. Applied externally, a bark decoction is used as a wash on ulcers and as a gargle in salivation. 

1. The fruits, latex, and leaves of Ficus virens are beneficial in treating topical and internal disorders involving poisoning effects from snake bites. 

2. The white latex of Ficus virens is applied topically to reduce inflammation. 

3. The ripe fruits can be eaten directly or in the form of jam mixed with jaggery or sugar to reduce the risk of heart diseases. 

4. The ripen fig is also helpful in providing relief in conditions of indigestion. 

5. The decoction of the stem bark juice can be used in the condition of ulcers and can be applied topically to reduce the inflammation in wounds and cuts. 

6. The crushed fruit of species Ficus hispida can be used as plaster. 

7. In the case of urinary diseases, the ripe fruits of Ficus semicordata can be taken directly and leaves of Ficus geniculata and white fig can be used in making soup to get relief in urinary diseases. 

1. This soup is also very beneficial in treating diabetic conditions and reduces excess sweating.