. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. •>7J THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. The Use of Australian Fig Trees and Their Associated Fig Wasps in Reafforestation Work in the Hawaiian Islands. By C. E. Pemberton {Assistant Entomologist, Haicaiian Sugar Planters" Association.) RESIDENTS of Australia, familiar with the Moreton Bay Fig tree, Ficus niacrophylla, and the Port Jackson Fig, Ficus rubiginosa, will be interested in the progress of a reaffores- tation project now in operation in the Hawaiian Islands, wherein these two splendid trees are being particularly utilized. In Dec
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. •>7J THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. The Use of Australian Fig Trees and Their Associated Fig Wasps in Reafforestation Work in the Hawaiian Islands. By C. E. Pemberton {Assistant Entomologist, Haicaiian Sugar Planters" Association.) RESIDENTS of Australia, familiar with the Moreton Bay Fig tree, Ficus niacrophylla, and the Port Jackson Fig, Ficus rubiginosa, will be interested in the progress of a reaffores- tation project now in operation in the Hawaiian Islands, wherein these two splendid trees are being particularly utilized. In December, 1920, the writer was detailed to Australia to study and intro- duce these and other Australian trees of the genus Ficus to Hawaii. A few fine specimens of both Ficus macro- phi/Ua and Ficus rubiginosa were already growing in Honolulvi but had never produced fertile seed and could not hence be used as mother trees for ex- tensive planting. The prime object of the visit was to obtain quantities of fresh seed of these trees, and particu- larly to ascertain precisely why such trees produce viable seed in Australia but not in HaAvaii and elsewhere where a few have been planted. Both the Moreton Bay and Port Jackson Figs produce fertile seed in and about Sydney. Through the courtesy of Mr. .1. H. Maiden, Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, the privilege was obtained to pursue a study of the problem and collect seed of these trees in the Sydney Gardens and Domain. BrieHy summarised, the results of this Avork were as follows. The Moreton Bay and Port Jackson Figs Avere found to produce fertile seed only thrt)ugh the agency of ceitain minute insects Avhich act as pollinators. Each type of fig tree has its particular fertilizing or pollinating species of insect. The insect peculiar to the Moreton Bay Fig occurs in its fruits,. Pleistodontes froggatti, the Moreton Bay Fig Wasp, magnified about twenty-tliree times. [A(iJ-ic. Ga:ette. pollinates the minute fioAvers Avith
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
