Section
32
32 Versatile Figs (Moraceae)
During the Late Cretaceous (85–65 mya) South America displayed a richly diverse flora. Early species representing the modern fig family appeared especially in the northern province, as part of the Palmae Province then common throughout tropical regions (White, 1994/1998, p. 49). During the Eocene (55–34 mya) figs became widespread throughout Australia (Fox, 1999, p. 222). Worldwide the genus Ficus contains about 750 species, and is generally dependent on wasps for pollination—a classic example of coevolution (Williams, 2021, pp. 138–140). There are many examples of Ficus in my artworks.