Condit Monograph
Gentile: (syns. Gentilla, Figue d'Or, Fico d'Oro, Tiburtina of Pliny, Ficus carica pulchella Risso). Described by Porta (1592), Tanara (1651), Aldrovandi (1668), Miller (1768), Hanbury (1770), Christ (1812), Forsyth (1803), Gallesio (1817), Risso (1826), Lindley (1831), Holley (1854), Dochnahl (1855), Sauvaigo (1889, 1894), Eisen (1896, 1897, 1901), Bois (1928), Condit (1921b, 1947), Evreinoff (1947), and Tamaro (1948). Illustrated by Eisen (1901) and Condit (1921b).
According to Gallesio, the Gentile fig is the same variety recorded by Pliny as Tiburtina. Aldrovandi called it Gentilium. It was highly praised by Gallesio, who said it well deserved the name it bears, Gentile, or ''delicate''; he added that he knew of no other variety which produced brebas equal to it in beauty, delicacy, and flavor. Figs of the second crop, according to Gallesio, reached a certain size, then shriveled and dropped. Sauvaigo reported that the Gentile tree bears two crops, but that figs of the second crop are not edible, since they drop before they mature. Trees are commonly found from Naples to Toscana and along the Italian Riviera. The Gentile described by Simonet is regarded by them as identical with Dottato.
According to Eisen, two cuttings of the Gentile were found at San Leandro, California, in 1852. They were planted in a nursery, and one later developed into a large tree. The original plant died, but a cutting from it, planted on the Kimball place, 1859 Hoover Street, Hayward, is still growing and producing brebas each year. Other trees were reported by Eisen at Alameda and at Knights Ferry. P.I. No. 18,899 of the Chiswick collection is listed as Gentile, but no California records have been located as to behavior of trees from that introduction. In coastal districts, the Gentile is similar in external fruit characters to the King, but is much inferior to that variety in color and texture of pulp and in eating quality. Gentile is not recommended for dooryard planting, since trees of certain other varieties bear not only brebas but also main-crop figs without caprification.
The tree is vigorous, and reaches large size, with lower branches drooping. Leaves are large, and 3-lobed. Description of brebas is after that of Eisen, and from specimens produced by the tree at Hayward.
Breba crop fair to good; fruits above medium to large; body spherical, with short, thick neck; stalk very short; ribs not prominent; eye large, protruding, open, scales rose-colored; surface glossy, with delicate bloom; white flecks prominent, numerous; color green; pulp amber to light strawberry; flavor sweet, fairly rich; seeds few; quality good. No description of caprified second-crop figs is available.
Comparison of the fruits and fruiting habits of Gentile and White San Pedro leads to the conclusion that these two Italian varieties are very similar, and that they may be identical.