They are usually one of the most species rich genera, and are also recognized for their role in maintaining seed disperser communities and, therefore, in forest succession. However, perhaps the most interesting thing about figs is their unique pollination system, often considered one of the most intricate mutualisms to have evolved in nature. The fig inflorescence, or syconium, is an urn shaped receptacle lined with tiny, uniovulate female flowers. Once inside, the wasp proceeds to pollinate, which may be active or passive depending on the species, and attempts to oviposit by inserting its ovipositor down the styles of the flowers. Ovules that receive a wasp egg are induced to form a gall that the wasp larvae then feeds on.
Ovules missed by the wasp, if pollinated, produce a seed in the normal way.
About one month later the adult wasps chew their way out of their galls and mate inside the lumen of the syconia. The wingless males usually then cut a tunnel through the syconium wall and die. The female wasps escape through the tunnel and fly off, carrying the pollen of their natal fig. The adult female wasps have very short life spans, often less than a day, and must quickly find a receptive fig, using specific volatile cues, in which to lay their eggs. A few days after the wasps have departed, the syconium wall softens, changes colour, and usually many different species of birds and mammals feed on the fig-fruit.