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Life cycle of monoecious species

(Life; Embryophyta (plants); Angiospermae (flowering plants); Eudicotyledons; Order: Rosales; Family: Moraceae; Genus: Ficus)

Life cycle

Illustration of life cycle of monoecious species

In monoecious species both the female and male reproductive functions are contained in the same fig, but the female and the male reproductive phases are separated by anything from 3 to 20 weeks (see the life cycle illustration above). Pollinating fig wasps live for only a few days, which means that pollen dispersal is carried out by the pollinator's offspring.

Credits

Illustrations and photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of Cape Town) and Jean-Yves Rasplus (INRA).

 


Web authors Simon van Noort (Iziko South African Museum)

and Jean-Yves Rasplus (INRA, France)

Copyright 2004-2009 Iziko Museums of Cape Town