''Ficus petiolaris'', commonly known as the petiolate fig and rock fig, is a

fig The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...

that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to Mexico from Baja California and Sonora south to Oaxaca. It grows from 10–20 feet high. It grows best with moderate water and partial shade. A unique feature is white hairs on the vein axils. Other common names include the Baja California rock fig, Palmer wild fig, and Brandegee wild fig.

Description

They are trees that reach a size of 30 metres in height, or 8 to 10 m when it's cultivated as a

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

. The trunk has a yellowish greenish color. The leaves are heart-shaped, on the front they are bright green and on the back they have a tuft of whitish hairs. The flowers and fruits are green, spherical in shape, with red and velvety spots. The crown of the tree is rounded.

Taxonomy

Taxonomic history

German botanist

Carl Sigismund Kunth Carl Sigismund Kunth (18 June 1788 – 22 March 1850), also Karl Sigismund Kunth or anglicized as Charles Sigismund Kunth, was a German botanist. He is known for being one of the first to study and categorise plants from the American continents, ...

described this species in 1817.

Etymology

''Ficus'': generic name that is derived from the Latin name given to the fig . ''Petiolaris'': Latin epithet meaning "with petiole".

Nomenclature

* English: ''Petiolate fig, rock fig, Baja California rock fig, Palmer wild fig, Brandegee wild fig'' * Spanish: ''Higuera, amate, zalate, higuera cimarrona, higuera silvestre''

Distribution and habitat

Originally from Mexico, it is present in warm, semi-warm and temperate climates, between 550 and 1200 meters above sea level. Wild plant, associated with deciduous and sub-deciduous tropical forests, thorny forest, mesophilic mountain forest, oak and pine forests. In the Baja California Peninsula, this plant occurs from the southern Sierra de la Asamblea in central

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

south into the Cape region of Baja California Sur, also present on many adjacent

Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja C ...

islands.

Uses

The bark was traditionally used by the

Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...

s to make paper, known as

amate Amate ( es, amate from nah, āmatl ) is a type of bark paper that has been manufactured in Mexico since the precontact times. It was used primarily to create codices. Amate paper was extensively produced and used for both communication, record ...

. Many of the remaining

Aztec codices Aztec codices ( nah, Mēxihcatl āmoxtli , sing. ''codex'') are Mesoamerican manuscripts made by the pre-Columbian Aztec, and their Nahuatl-speaking descendants during the colonial period in Mexico. History Before the start of the Sp ...

were written on amate. In the 16th century,

Francisco Hernández de Toledo Francisco Hernández de Toledo (1514 in La Puebla de Montalbán, Toledo – 28 January 1587 in Madrid) was a naturalist and court physician to the King of Spain. Hernández was among the first wave of Spanish Renaissance physicians practicing acc ...

relates: "the cooking of the roots and bark moisten the tongue of those who have a fever, relieves the pains of the chest and if they are not removed milk evacuates bile and phlegmatic humors by the Upper or lower duct. Cure inveterate ulcers of the lips or any other. " In the 20th century, Maximino Martinez, referred to as astringent, to heal fractures, cracks in gums, herpes and pectoral. In

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, this species is recommended against

intestinal parasite An intestinal parasite infection is a condition in which a parasite infects the gastro-intestinal tract of humans and other animals. Such parasites can live anywhere in the body, but most prefer the intestinal wall. Routes of exposure and inf ...

herpes Herpes simplex is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. Infections are categorized based on the part of the body infected. Oral herpes involves the face or mouth. It may result in small blisters in groups often called cold ...

, cough, spleen stones, to regulate menstruation and heal fractures. In Sonora it is advised in cases of

goiter A goitre, or goiter, is a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland. A goitre can be associated with a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Worldwide, over 90% of goitre cases are caused by iodine deficiency. The term is ...

, chest pains,

phlegm Phlegm (; , ''phlégma'', "inflammation", "humour caused by heat") is mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that produced by the nasal passages. It often refers to respiratory mucus expelled by coughing, otherwise known as sputum ...

, wounds and ulcers. In Morelos it is used to attenuate the fever. The treatment includes

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

, juice or

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

. In Michoacán, against the hepatitis the macerated bark is prepared and put to soak one day to apply baths, in addition to taking it fasting for nine days.Davidse, G., M. Sousa Sánchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera. 2014. Saururaceae to Zygophyllaceae. 2 (3): ined. In G. Davidse, M. Sousa Sanchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera (eds.) Fl. Mesoamer .. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico.

Gallery

File:Ficus petiolaris (jetalone).jpg, Young plant File:Ficus petiolaris - Fruits.jpg, Fruits File:Ficus petiolaris 01.jpg, Leaves File:Ficus petiolaris at MBG 02.jpg, White hairs along vein axils

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q9259410 Desert fruits Flora of Mexico Trees of Baja California Trees of Baja California Sur Plants used in bonsai Plants described in 1817 petiolaris