Syconium (pl.: syconia) is the type of inflorescence borne by figs (genus Ficus), formed by an enlarged, fleshy, hollow receptacle with multiple ovaries on the inside surface.[1] In essence, it is really a fleshy stem with a number of flowers, so it is considered both a multiple and accessory fruit.
Cross-section of the syconium of a female creeping fig. The receptacle forms a hollow chamber, its inner wall (white) covered by a shell of rufousflorets. Their long and curled, white styles occupy the centre. Each floret will produce a fruit and seed. The green, bract-lined ostiole, below, admits wasppollinators.
The term syconium comes from the Ancient Greek word συκον (sykon), meaning "fig".[2]
Longitudinal section of Ficus glomerata syconium showing the fruit and fig wasps.
Morphologyedit
The syconium is an urn-shaped receptacle which contains between 50 and 7000 (depending on the species) highly simplified uniovulate flowers or florets on its inner surface. It is closed off from most organisms by the ostiole, fringed by scale-like bracts.
Syconia can be monoecious or functionally dioecious: the former contain female flowers with variable style length and few male flowers, and produce seeds and pollen. The latter have male and female forms in different plants: seed figs contain female flowers with long styles and produce seeds; gall figs contain female flowers with short styles and male flowers and produce pollen.
Once pollinated by a fig wasp, the individual florets inside the syconium develop into achenes or drupes, in which the seeds are enclosed by a layer of endocarp. From this perspective, the fig is an enclosure with tens to thousands of fruits within it.[3]
Developmentedit
Formation of the syconium begins with the initial growth of bracts, which curve to form a receptacle. When the outer bracts meet, they form the ostiole by interlock. Syconia may also develop lateral, basal, or peduncular bracts. There is a relationship between the shape of the ostiole and the morphology of the pollinating wasp.[4]
Pollinationedit
The tight ostiolar enclosure at the syconium's apex makes it highly pollinator-specific. When receptive to pollen, the ostiole slightly loosens, allowing the highly specialized wasps to enter through it. The wasps lose their wings in the process, and once inside they pollinate female flowers as they lay their eggs in some ovules, which then form galls. The wasps then die and larvae develop in the galls, while seeds develop in the pollinated flowers. 4–6 weeks after egg laying, the wingless males emerge, mate with the females still in their galls, and cut a tunnel out of the syconium. As the females emerge, they collect pollen from male flowers, which ripen later. After the wasps emerge, chemical changes in the fig follow as the fig develops into 'fruit'.[5][6]
Evolutionedit
The syconium is thought to have first evolved 83 million years ago in the Cretaceous[7] within an entomophilic clade within Moraceae that includes tribe Castilleae and genus Ficus, as the bracts protecting the inflorescence tightened to form the ostiole. This greatly increased the pollinator specificity of the plant and initiated a long and complex history of coevolution between figs and their pollinating wasps (agaonids).
^Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary entry for syconium
^Galil, J. (1977). "Fig biology". Endeavour 1(2): 52–56.
^Verkerke, W. (1989). "Structure and function of the fig". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 45(7): 612–622.
^Shanahan, M. et al. (2001). "Fig-eating by vertebrate frugivores: a global review". Biological Reviews 76(04): 529–572.
^Harrison, R. D. (2005). "Figs and the Diversity of Tropical Rainforests". BioScience 55(12): 1053–1064.
^Datwyler, S. L. and G. D. Weiblen, . American Journal of Botany, 2004. 91(5): p. 767–777.
March 17, 2024
syconium, syconia, type, inflorescence, borne, figs, genus, ficus, formed, enlarged, fleshy, hollow, receptacle, with, multiple, ovaries, inside, surface, essence, really, fleshy, stem, with, number, flowers, considered, both, multiple, accessory, fruit, cross. Syconium pl syconia is the type of inflorescence borne by figs genus Ficus formed by an enlarged fleshy hollow receptacle with multiple ovaries on the inside surface 1 In essence it is really a fleshy stem with a number of flowers so it is considered both a multiple and accessory fruit Cross section of the syconium of a female creeping fig The receptacle forms a hollow chamber its inner wall white covered by a shell of rufous florets Their long and curled white styles occupy the centre Each floret will produce a fruit and seed The green bract lined ostiole below admits wasp pollinators Contents 1 Etymology 2 Morphology 3 Development 4 Pollination 5 Evolution 6 ReferencesEtymology editThe term syconium comes from the Ancient Greek word sykon sykon meaning fig 2 nbsp Longitudinal section of Ficus glomerata syconium showing the fruit and fig wasps Morphology editThe syconium is an urn shaped receptacle which contains between 50 and 7000 depending on the species highly simplified uniovulate flowers or florets on its inner surface It is closed off from most organisms by the ostiole fringed by scale like bracts Syconia can be monoecious or functionally dioecious the former contain female flowers with variable style length and few male flowers and produce seeds and pollen The latter have male and female forms in different plants seed figs contain female flowers with long styles and produce seeds gall figs contain female flowers with short styles and male flowers and produce pollen Once pollinated by a fig wasp the individual florets inside the syconium develop into achenes or drupes in which the seeds are enclosed by a layer of endocarp From this perspective the fig is an enclosure with tens to thousands of fruits within it 3 Development editFormation of the syconium begins with the initial growth of bracts which curve to form a receptacle When the outer bracts meet they form the ostiole by interlock Syconia may also develop lateral basal or peduncular bracts There is a relationship between the shape of the ostiole and the morphology of the pollinating wasp 4 Pollination editThe tight ostiolar enclosure at the syconium s apex makes it highly pollinator specific When receptive to pollen the ostiole slightly loosens allowing the highly specialized wasps to enter through it The wasps lose their wings in the process and once inside they pollinate female flowers as they lay their eggs in some ovules which then form galls The wasps then die and larvae develop in the galls while seeds develop in the pollinated flowers 4 6 weeks after egg laying the wingless males emerge mate with the females still in their galls and cut a tunnel out of the syconium As the females emerge they collect pollen from male flowers which ripen later After the wasps emerge chemical changes in the fig follow as the fig develops into fruit 5 6 Evolution editThe syconium is thought to have first evolved 83 million years ago in the Cretaceous 7 within an entomophilic clade within Moraceae that includes tribe Castilleae and genus Ficus as the bracts protecting the inflorescence tightened to form the ostiole This greatly increased the pollinator specificity of the plant and initiated a long and complex history of coevolution between figs and their pollinating wasps agaonids References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Syconium Ficus The Remarkable Genus Of Figs Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary entry for syconium Galil J 1977 Fig biology Endeavour 1 2 52 56 Verkerke W 1989 Structure and function of the fig Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 45 7 612 622 Shanahan M et al 2001 Fig eating by vertebrate frugivores a global review Biological Reviews 76 04 529 572 Harrison R D 2005 Figs and the Diversity of Tropical Rainforests BioScience 55 12 1053 1064 Datwyler S L and G D Weiblen On the origin of the fig phylogenetic relationships of Moraceae from ndhF sequences American Journal of Botany 2004 91 5 p 767 777 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Syconium amp oldid 1194018300, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
