fig-shaped

Updated: May 19, 2025

Do you know the thing? The leaves are shaped like the fans of a lobster's tail and sometimes are several-jointed, smooth except for occasional tufts of very treacherous spikes, and of a peculiar semitranslucent green; the half-double flowers set on the leaf edges are three inches across and of a brilliant sulphur-yellow, with tasselled stamens; the fruit is fleshy, somewhat fig-shaped, and of a dark red when ripe altogether a very decorative plant, though extremely difficult to handle.

Mabel Osgood Wright - The Garden, You, and I

I asked him to sing, and he flung himself at my feet in an attitude that would make Watts crazy with delight, and CROONED queer little mournful ditties. I gave him sixpence, and told him not to get drunk. Hottentot figs are rather nice a green fig-shaped thing, containing about a spoonful of SALT-SWEET insipid glue, which you suck out. This does not sound nice, but it is.

Lady Lucie Duff Gordon - Letters from the Cape