Re: Do fig trees have flowers?

Hi Gunnar,

> Now I know nothing about Ficus Glomerata, which is the
> meaning of "udumbara" according to the PTS dictionary;
> but I have never heard of a tree bearing fruits
> without having flowers first.
>
> So is this tree really an exception?

"The udumbara tree (Ficus glomerata) is a large tropical tree of the
mulberry family (Moraceae). Its flowers grow around the fruit, so they
look like peel rather than flowers. Because of this, people in ancient
India considered the udumbara to be flowerless. Consequently, they used
the udumbara flower as a symbol of something that rarely happens; for
example, the realization of the Buddhist truth."

http://www.windbell.com/intros3.html

"Arhans and Sages of the boundless Vision are rare as is the blossom of
the Udumbara tree."

http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/ctg/u-un.htm

"Cauliflory, strictly "basiflory", with flowering on lower part of
trunk. Flowers/fruit on lower stems are typical of wetter tropical
rainforests, with special agents of pollination/seed distribution in
understorey."

http://www.gu.edu.au/ins/collections/webb/html/8-74.html

Other photos:

http://community.webshots.com/album/222796017eVfhyX/3
http://www.bonsai-collectables.com/Ficus%20glomerata.jpg

Dmytro