Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Maximum Height | 30 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, and New Guinea |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a latex-containing, small or medium-sized tree to 30 m tall. Its twigs and leaf stalks are covered with brownish hairs. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its spirally arranged, stalked leaves have thinly leathery leaf blades that are usually elliptic to slightly reverse egg-shaped, and 4–20 by 1.9–9 cm, with distinct side veins on its undersides. |
| Flowers | The plant is monoecious. Its male, female and gall flowers are found within the same syconia (fig). |
| Fruit | Its shortly-stalked syconia (figs) are round, 7–12 mm wide, and purple with dark spots when ripe. They also develop singly or in pairs on leafy twigs, or in clusters up to 4 together on leafless older branchlets. |
| Habitat | It grows in lowland to lower montane forests, up to 1,500 m altitude. It is known locally from Mandai forest and Bukit Timah. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are pollinated by the fig wasps. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | Latin Ficus, commercial edible figs; Latin glandulifera, gland-bearing, referring to the glands present on the petiole of this species |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: It is cultivated as an ornamental tree. The moderately hard wood is used as charcoal. The fibrous bark is used for making ropes, and as a mouth wash for ulcers. It was also previously used for making clothes. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
References
| References | Berg, C. C. & E. J. H. Corner. 2005. Ficus subgenus Ficus. Flora Malesiana, Series I. 17(2): 71–136 Burkill, I. H. 1966. A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Volumes I & II. Kuala Lumpur: Governments of Malaysia and Singapore. 2444 Corner, E.J.H. 1988. Wayside Trees of Malaya Volume 1 & 2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Malayan Nature Society. 861 Ng, A. B. C., A. Ng, B. Lee, A. L. Chuah, S. G. Goh, J. T. K. Lai, G. C. Tan & V. D’Rozario. 2005. A Guide to the Fabulous Figs of Singapore. Singapore: Singapore Science Centre. 152 pp |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 33646 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8060 |
| 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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