Fig Varieties: A Monograph - uri=ucce.ucdavis

444 Hilgardia
[Vol. 23, No. 11
and Thomas (1904), E. A. Bunyard (1925, 1934), Hume (1915), Gould (1919), Mowry and
Weber (1925), Cook (1925), Condit (1947), and Preston (1951). Illustrated in color by
Brookshaw (1812) and Condit (1941a); in black and white by Eisen (1901).
Ischia Black was apparently introduced into England from the island of Ischia by
Philip Miller, who described it as a black fig of high flavor, especially attractive to birds.
Later English authors add little to Miller’s brief description. Wythes did not grow many
trees, as he found the fruit to be of poorer quality than that of Ischia. E. A. Bunyard
(1934), however, added this note to his account: “A variety for the epicure when flavor
is valued.”
Ischia Black was obtained by the California Nursery Company from England in 1893,
and about the same time it arrived with the Chiswick collection as P.I. No. 18,894. Trees
have fruited in collections at Niles, Chico, Fresno, and Riverside, and at various state
experiment stations. Individual trees of this variety are also commonly found in
orchards of the Franciscana fig, and occasionally in dooryards. As Eisen commented in
1901, Ischia Black “is a common variety, but one which could easily be dispensed with.”
The fruits are smaller, but otherwise comparable, fresh and dried, to those of
Franciscana.
The tree is vigorous, upright in habit, with branches inclined to droop; terminal buds
are reddish brown. Leaves similar to those of Ischia, medium to small; upper surface
glossy, rugose; mostly 3-lobed, but often nonlobed; upper sinuses moderately deep and
broad; base subcordate to truncate; margins coarsely crenate (plate 13). Description of
fruit is from specimens maturing at Riverside and Fresno.
Breba crop fair; fruits medium or above, up to 2-1/4 inches long and 1-3/4 inches in
diameter, oblique-pyriform, with a short, thick neck; stalk often 1/2 inch long or more
somewhat swollen toward body of the fig; ribs narrow, slightly elevated; eye medium,
open, scales purple; color purplish black; bloom conspicuous; meat thin, white, with a
violet tinge; pulp strawberry; flavor fairly sweet and rich.
Second-crop figs small to medium, oblique-pyriform to turbinate, with or without a
short neck; average weight 30 grams; stalk up to 1/2 inch long; surface dull, bloom
fairly heavy; white flecks scattered, finally masked by black body color; pulp
strawberry; quality good.
Caprified specimens similar in external characters to the uncaprified ones; pulp dark
strawberry; seeds fertile, prominent. (Plate 27, C.)
Ischia Brown (syns. Brown Ischia, Chestnut-colored Ischia). Described by Miller
(1768), Hanbury (1770), Forsyth (1803), Green (1824), George Lindley (1831), Rogers
(1834), Holley (1854), Dochnahl (1855), Thompson (1859), Hogg (1866), Eisen (1888,
1901), Coleman (1887b), and Wright (1894). In his Gardener’s Dictionary of 1759, Miller
described Small Brown Ischia as a variety bearing small figs, with leaves less divided
than any of the other sorts. He also described the Brown or Chestnut-colored fig as
“the largest yet seen.” It is possible that the first description properly referred to the
White Ischia, the fruit of which has a violet flush when fully mature. Hogg and later
English authors treat only Brown Ischia, and ignore the prefix, “small.”