The 'Figs' are contained in the genus Ficus of about 1000 different
species found worldwide, including as potted plants in many households.
They are of one of the best known and widespread of all plant genera.
It is not just the distribution that attracts interest, however, for
the genus has some important and fascinating ecology.
If there is one group of mammals that is even more successful than the
bats, it is the rodents, with about 2000 species worldwide and at least
60 species in Australia, which is again almost a quarter of the mammals
of the continent.
