Ficus sur Forssk.

Moraceae, C.C. Berg (University of Bergen). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Tree up to 25(–30) m. tall, sometimes with buttresses.

Morphology Twigs

Leafy twigs white to yellowish (or brownish) puberulous to hirtellous or tomentose, partly hirsute or almost glabrous, periderm mostly not flaking off when dry.

Morphology Leaves

Lamina chartaceous to coriaceous, elliptic to ovate, subovate or oblong, sometimes suborbicular or lanceolate, 4–20(–32) × 3–13(–16) cm., apex acuminate to acute, base subacute to cordate, margin coarsely crenate-dentate to repand or ± entire; upper surface smooth, sometimes scabrous, glabrous or puberulous on the proximal parts of the main veins, lower surface on the whole surface or only on the main veins puberulous to tomentose or glabrous; lateral veins (3–)5–9 pairs; petiole 1.5–9 cm. long, 1–2 mm. thick, puberulous, hirtellous, hirsute, subtomentose or glabrous, periderm usually not flaking off when dry; stipules 1–3.5 cm. long, white to yellow subsericeous, pubescent, hirsute or almost glabrous, caducous or occasionally subpersistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Infructescences

Figs on branched leafless branchlets up to 50(–150) cm. long on the older wood, down to the trunk, or occasionally in the leaf-axils; peduncle 0.5–2 cm. long, 1–3 mm. thick; basal bracts 2–3 mm. long; Receptacle obovoid to subglobose, often ± depressed-globose, often stipitate at least when dry, 2–4 cm. in diameter when fresh, 0.5–3 cm. when dry, sparsely white to yellowish puberulous to almost glabrous or densely tomentose to subvelutinous, red to dark orange at maturity.

Figures

Fig. 18.

Habitat

Forest, riverine, wooded grassland, often left in cleared places; 0–2300 m.

Distribution

extending to Yemen, Cape Verde Is., Angola and South Africa K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 P T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146435594/146445897

Conservation

LC - least concern

Moraceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Usually a small tree

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

The figs borne in sometimes abundant clusters on the trunk

Morphology Branches

Branchlets glabrous or softly pubescent

Morphology General Buds

Pointed more or less villous buds

Note

A variable species within which several infraspecific taxa can probably be recognized

Ecology

Common, especially in the more open country.

Moraceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A tree up to 30 ft. high or more with the habit of an alder

Morphology General Exudate

Viscid, not milky, sap

Morphology General Indumentum

Shortly tomentose young branchlets.