Knobbly fig
The nominate subsp. in the Kruger Park
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Species:
F. sansibarica
Binomial name
Ficus sansibarica
Warb. 1894
Synonyms[1]
  • F. brachylepis Welw. ex Hiern
  • F. delagoensis T. R. Sim
  • F. gossweileri Hutch.[2]
  • F. langenburgii Warb.
  • F. ugandensis Hutch.
  • F. zanzibarica Boeck. ex Engl.

The Ficus sansibarica, known as knobbly fig, is an African species of cauliflorous fig. It is named after Zanzibar, where Franz Stuhlmann discovered it in 1889.[3] They often begin life as epiphytes, which assume a strangling habit as they develop.[4] They regularly reach 10 m, but may grow up to 40 m tall as forest stranglers.[2]

Range and habitat

It occurs in the African tropics and subtropics from coastal elevations to 900 m above sea level.[5] The nominate subspecies has an easterly distribution, but extends westwards up the Zambezi Valley.[6]

They are found in coastal, riverine and evergreen forests or woodland, and in miombo woodlands. They are locally cultivated in parks,[6] villages[4] or bush camps. They prefer deep sandy soil and often start life as a strangler.[7][8] The pollinating wasp is Courtella armata.[5]

Description

The light grey bark is fairly smooth, though lumpy and folded.[2] The smooth leaves are up to 13 cm long and oblong-obovate.[8] They have parallel sides and are carried on slender petioles.[2]

The large (up to 5 cm), bitter-tasting figs appear in groups of 2 or 3 during the summer months.[2] They are cauliflorous, growing on the characteristic wart-like, leafless branchlets on the trunk and main branches (i.e. old wood).[7]

F. chirindensis of the forests of southeastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique is similar, but has the leaves more oval, often has buttress roots,[7] and bears the small (1.5 cm) figs in stalked pairs on second year branches.[2]

Uses

The raw figs are used for food, and are locally believed to promote fertility. Stems are torn apart to obtain fibers for basket weaving.[4] Locally it is also deemed sacred.

Subspecies and status

The species is deemed critically endangered in Eswatini, where most are located in proposed sugar cane expansion areas near Sihoye.[9] On Inhaca Island however, it is held sacred by most communities, and is scrupulously protected.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Ficus sansibarica Warb". The Plant List. Version 1. 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Palgrave, K.C. (1984). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-86977-081-0.
  3. 1 2 Mtsweni, Patrick. "Ficus sansibarica Warb". PlantZAfrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Fern, Ken (2019). "Ficus sansibarica Warb. Moraceae". Tropical Plants Database. tropical.theferns.info. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 Van Noort; et al. "Ficus sansibarica sansibarica Warburg 1894". Figweb. iziko museums. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  6. 1 2 Berg, C. C. (1991). "Ficus sansibarica subsp. sansibarica [family MORACEAE]". Flora Zambesiaca. JSTOR Global Plants. 9 (6): 13. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Van Wyk, Braam; et al. (1997). Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. p. 78. ISBN 1-86825-922-6.
  8. 1 2 Palmer, Eve (1977). A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa. London, Johannesburg: Collins. pp. 89–90. ISBN 0-620-05468-9.
  9. ↑ "SABONET Report No. 38" (PDF). Moraceae. p. 119. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
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