Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Climber |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is flat-stemmed climber. Its twigs, leaf stalks, and the middle principle vein on the upper surface of the leaf blades are covered with brown hair. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its alternate, two-rowed, stalked leaves have leathery leaf blades that are covered with soft hair, oval to drop-shaped with asymmetrical bases, and 1–8 by 0.5–5 cm. |
| Flowers | The plant is dioecious with each plant bearing male or female flowers. The flowers are tiny and develop within the syconium (fig). |
| Fruit | Its syconia (figs) are somewhat round, tapered towards the base, orange to bright red at maturity, 4–10 by 2–8.5 cm, and develop on leafless branchlets that are up to 1.5 cm long. |
| Habitat | It grows on rocks or trees in lowland primary forests up to 1,500 m altitude. It occurs locally in the vicinity of MacRitchie Reservoir. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are pollinated by fig wasps. Its figs are eaten by birds and other small mammals. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed or stem cutting. |
| Etymology | Latin Ficus, the commercial edible fig (Ficus carica); Latin ruginervia, with wrinkled veins, referring to the venation of the plant’s leaf blades |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | It may be suitable for parks. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Vertical Greenery / Green Wall, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola, Groundcover |
| Thematic Landscaping | Naturalistic Garden |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Fruits) |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp)) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) (Vertebrates (Other Mammal)) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Obovate, Oval) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Base | Oblique / Asymmetrical |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
|---|
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Inflorescence Type | Syconium |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange, Red |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Multiple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit , Accessory / False Fruit (Pseudocarp) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 32069 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6474 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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