Fig Varieties: A Monograph - uri=ucce.ucdavis

382 Hilgardia
[Vol. 23, No. 11
Aberdin. Described by Risso (1826) as Ficus carica aberdina. Figs above medium,
spherical; stalk short; skin color green; pulp red; honeylike drop often exuding from the
eye.
Agresto. Described by De Rosa (1911). Tree with slender branches, and medium, 5-
lobed leaves; breba crop small. Figs oblate, with slender stalk; eye large, with rosecolored
scales; skin green; pulp light red, sweet.
Ajlouni. Described by Grasovsky and Weitz (1932) as a very popular variety, one of
the best in Samaria; probably introduced to Ramallah from Smyrna. Figs small,
pyriform, with medium neck and stalk; color green; eye almost closed; pulp pinkish;
flavor good; seeds many.
Amudi. Described by Grasovsky and Weitz (1932) as a variety grown at Nazareth.
Figs medium, spherical, with long stalk; skin green; pulp red; quality fair.
Angélique (syns. Melette, Petite Figue Grisé, Coucourelle Blanche, Madeleine, Early
Lemon, Figue d’Or). See Rolland (1914) for synonymy. There are many descriptions of
this variety. The most noteworthy ones follow. Merlet (1667), La Quintinie (1692),
Liger (1702), Tournefort (1719), Duhamel (1768, 1809), Weston (1770), La Brousse (1774),
Rozier (1787), Le Berryais (1789), Mirbel (1802), Noisette (1821, 1829), Bory de Saint
Vincent (1824), Lindley (1831), Couverchel (1839), M’Intosh (1855), Dochnahl (1855),
Forney (1863), Hogg (1866), G. S. (1867), Barron (1868b), Du Breuil (1876), Hyde (1877),
Coleman (1887b), Watts (1890), Massey (1893), Burnette (1894), Eisen (1901), Starnes
(1903), Starnes and Monroe (1907), Evreinoff (1947), and Condit (1947). The color
illustration by Duhamel (1809) shows a small, green fig with short, thick neck; the one
by Barron shows a spherical fig, badly split at the apex; it is also figured by Starnes, and
by Condit (1941a, fig. 2, D)
Confusion has existed as to the identity of this variety, as well as its synonyms. La
Quintinie (translation by Evelyn) referred to “the little grey fig, almost of a tawny color,
called Melette in Gascony.” Tournefort described it as Melette or Coucourelle, of small
size and tawny color. Duhamel (1768) quoted Tournefort, then described the fruit as
very large, of a yellow color. Bernard (1787) disagreed with Duhamel, and believed the
description of Tournefort characterized the variety Coucourelle Brune better than
Angélique. Practically all later writers describe the color as yellow. Mirbel called it
Angélique or Melette, and stated that it was cultivated in nearly all parts of France.
Figue d’Or, P.I. No. 18,880, and Madeleine, P.I. No. 18,890, both of the Chiswick
collection, proved to be identical at Riverside. In view of the descriptions reviewed and
of the specimens of Madeleine fruiting at Riverside, we are inclined to agree with Hogg,
with G. S., and with Barron, rather than Eisen, that Madeleine is synonymous with
Angélique. The Madeleine listed by some authors as a synonym of Blanche (Versailles)
is different from the variety treated here. New French, described by Earle (1900), and
by Price and White (1902), and listed as promising by Reimer (1910), is probably
identical with Angélique.
Angélique is found in California only in collections. The tree is moderately vigorous,
bearing two crops. The leaves are variously described as “more entire than any other,”
and “longer than broad, and often have only three lobes.” Leaves of Riverside trees are