Common Name:

General Information

Ficus rumphii is a deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 20 metres[, ]. The plant often begins life as an epiphyte, growing in the branch of another tree; as it grows older it sends down aerial roots which, when they reach the ground quickly form roots and become much thicker and more vigorous. They supply nutrients to the fig, allowing it to grow faster than the host tree. The aerial roots gradually encircle the host tree, preventing its main trunk from expanding, whilst at the same time the foliage smothers the foliage of the host. Eventually the host dies, leaving the fig to carry on growing without competition[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as food and medicine[]. The tree is often cultivated as an ornamental and shade tree along avenues[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam.

Habitat

Along trails at elevations from 600 - 700 metres[]. Rocky coasts[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Wasps
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Fig trees have a unique form of fertilization, each species relying on a single, highly specialized species of wasp that is itself totaly dependant upon that fig species in order to breed. The trees produce three types of flower; male, a long-styled female and a short-styled female flower, often called the gall flower. All three types of flower are contained within the structure we usually think of as the fruit.
The female fig wasp enters a fig and lays its eggs on the short styled female flowers while pollinating the long styled female flowers. Wingless male fig wasps emerge first, inseminate the emerging females and then bore exit tunnels out of the fig for the winged females. Females emerge, collect pollen from the male flowers and fly off in search of figs whose female flowers are receptive. In order to support a population of its pollinator, individuals of a Ficus spp. must flower asynchronously. A population must exceed a critical minimum size to ensure that at any time of the year at least some plants have overlap of emmission and reception of fig wasps. Without this temporal overlap the short-lived pollinator wasps will go locally extinct[].

Edible Uses

Fully ripe fruits - raw or cooked[, , ].

Young leaves - raw or cooked[, ].

Medicinal

The latex and fruits are emetic and anthelmintic, and used to treat itch[].
The latex is given internally as a vermifuge and for the relief of asthma[].

Other Uses

The bark yields a rough cordage[].

The soft wood is used as a fuel and for the production of charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - germinates best at a temperature around 20°c[].
Air layering[].
Tip cuttings around 4 - 12cm long, taken from lateral branches[].

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