Ficus racemosa
L.
Moraceae
Covellia glomerata (Roxb.) Miq.
Covellia lanceolata (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Miq.
Covellia mollis Miq.
Ficus acidula King
Ficus chittagonga Miq.
Ficus glomerata Roxb.
Ficus henrici King
Ficus lanceolata Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.
Ficus leucocarpa (Miq.) Miq.
Ficus lucescens Blume
Ficus mollis (Miq.) Miq.
Ficus semicostata F.M.Bailey
Ficus trichocarpa glabrescens Engl.
Ficus vesca F.Muell. ex Miq.
Common Name: Cluster Fig
General Information
Cluster fig is an evergreen or, in drier areas, deciduous tree, often with an irregular crown; it can grow 20 - 30 metres tall. The bole becomes deeply buttressed as the tree grows older and can be 36 - 90cm in diameter[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often cultivated, both for its fruit and also as a shade tree in plantations and an ornamental tree in parks, large gardens etc[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
Range
E. Asia - Southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia.
Habitat
In open, deciduous forest, common along river banks in lowlands[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Moist areas, beside rivers and streams, occasionally in streams at elevations of 100 - 1,700 metres in southern China[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Semi-deciduous Tree |
Height | 8.00 m |
Pollinators | Wasps |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Ficus species are common and form an important element of lowland rain forest, both as canopy and understorey trees. Most species prefer per-humid forest, but several are found in areas with a monsoon climate and in teak forest, including locations where the soil dries out[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
Succeeds in full sun to partial shade[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
]. Succeeds in most soils that are reasonably moist but well-drained[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
].
Cluster fig is resistant to fire[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
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[
413- Title
- Global Invasive Species Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. Sweet, but rather insipid[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. They are used in various preserves and side-dishes[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Unripe fruits are pickled and used in soups[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The fruit can be dried and ground into a flour then eaten with sugar and milk[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The powder from roasted fruits forms a valuable breakfast food[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. In times of scarcity, the unripe fruit is pounded, mixed with flour and made into cakes[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
]. The fruit is up to 25mm in diameter[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
The leaves are eaten as vegetable[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Young shoots are eaten raw or cooked[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
The roots can be cut to provide a liquid that can be drunk as water[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The bark is astringent[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used in the treatment of haematuria, menorrhagia, and haemoptysis[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The fruit is astringent[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used in the treatment of haematuria, menorrhagia, and haemoptysis[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The fruit, when filled with sugar, is considered to be very cooling[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A fluid that exudes from the cut roots of the tree is considered to be a powerful tonic when drunk for several days together[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The sap is a popular remedy in Bombay, that is applied locally to mumps and other inflammatory glandular enlargements, and is also used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The root is chewed as a treatment for tonsilitis[
514- Title
- Medicinal Plants Used by Chakma Tribe in Hill Tracts Districts of Bangladesh.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rahman M.A.; Uddin S.B.; Wilcock C.C.
- Publisher
- Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge.
- Year
- 2007 Vol 6(3)
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief details of medicinal plants used by the Chakma tribe.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The tree is cultivated to provide shade for coffee trees[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
It is used for slope, gully and river bank stabilization because it produces a deep and wide-spreading root system[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The leaves provide a valuable mulch[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
Other Uses
Used as a rootstock for the common fig, Ficus carica[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The bark contains tannin[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
The latex is used in the production of water-resistant paper and as plasticizer for Hevea rubber[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
,
].
The straw-coloured wood is coarse-grained, light in weight, soft, and porous. It is not a durable wood, though it lasts well under water, and hence is used for well frames. The wood is used for low-quality purposes and items such as minor construction, cheap furniture, packing cases, mouldings, laundry tubs, fruit crates etc[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
611- Title
- Five hundred plant species in Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, West Java
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hari Priyadi et al
- Website
- http://www.cifor.cgiar.org
- Publisher
- Center for International Forestry Research; Indonesia.
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
- 978-602-8693-22-6
- Description
- Brief details of the uses of 500 Indonesian plants. It is available as a PDF document to download from the internet.
,
719- Title
- A Manual of the Timbers of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howard A.L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co.; London.
- Year
- 1934
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent and comprehensive book on timbers. Rather dated, but still a main source of information for many of the less known woods. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The wood is used as a fuel[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
,
611- Title
- Five hundred plant species in Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, West Java
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hari Priyadi et al
- Website
- http://www.cifor.cgiar.org
- Publisher
- Center for International Forestry Research; Indonesia.
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
- 978-602-8693-22-6
- Description
- Brief details of the uses of 500 Indonesian plants. It is available as a PDF document to download from the internet.
].
Propagation
Seed - germinates best at a temperature around 20°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Air layering[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Tip cuttings around 4 - 12cm long, taken from lateral branches[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].