Ficus sansibarica

The Knobbly fig (Ficus sansibarica) 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.[1]

Knobbly fig
The nominate subsp. in the Kruger Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Rosids
Order:
Rosales
Family:
Moraceae
Genus:
Ficus
Species:
F. sansibarica
Binomial name
Ficus sansibarica
Warb. 1894
Synonyms
  • F. brachylepis Welw. ex Hiern
  • F. delagoensis T. R. Sim
  • F. gossweileri Hutch.[1]
  • F. langenburgii Warb.
  • F. ugandensis Hutch.
  • F. zanzibarica Boeck. ex Engl.[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.[1] The smooth leaves are up to 13 cm long and oblong-obovate.[8] They have parallel sides and are carried on slender petioles.[1]

The large (up to 5 cm), bitter-tasting figs appear in groups of 2 or 3 during the summer months.[1] 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.[1]

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 Swaziland, 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]

  • Foliage
  • Figs on wart-like branchlets
  • Figs carried on spurs
gollark: Of course it is. Everything was better in the olden days.
gollark: We all know of The Thread.
gollark: The sheer balance is incredible.
gollark: Given only to CB prizes - that's balanced, because they're "fairly given out".
gollark: A BSA to make all your eggs gold.

References
  1. Palgrave, K.C. (1984). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-86977-081-0.
  2. "Ficus sansibarica Warb". The Plant List. Version 1. 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  3. Mtsweni, Patrick. "Ficus sansibarica Warb". PlantZAfrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  4. Fern, Ken (2019). "Ficus sansibarica Warb. Moraceae". Tropical Plants Database. tropical.theferns.info. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  5. 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. Berg, C. C. (1991). "Ficus sansibarica subsp. sansibarica [family MORACEAE]". Flora Zambesiaca. JSTOR Global Plants. 9 (6): 13. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  7. 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. 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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