Ficus wassa
Content
Description
Shrub or tree up to 10(-15) m tall.
internal hairs minute, few or absent.
Leaves mostly spirally arranged or less commonly (sub)opposite or subverticillate;
stipules lateral, almost subulate, stiff and ± distinctly keeled, and often finely striate, 0.5-1 cm long, glabrous or appressed-puberulous, caducous or subpersistent; on twig apices often tufts of (sub)persistent stipules.
Distribution
Alor present, Asia-Tropical: Lesser Sunda Is. present; Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present, Flores present, From Malesia to theSolomon Islands present, Halmahera present, New Britain present, New Hebrides present, Obi Island present, Timor present
From Malesia to theSolomon Islands, New Hebrides; in Malesia: Lesser Sunda Islands (Flores, Alor, Timor), Moluccas (Mototai, Halmahera, Obi Islands), New Guinea (incl. New Britain).
Notes
4Waxy glands are found only in the axils of the basal lateral veins in the majority of the collections, but in some collections from New Guinea such glands also occur in the axils of other lateral veins. These collections tend to have (almost) smooth laminas and short petioles.
3Some collections (recognized by Corner as F. hystricicarpa) have more densely hispidulous to subhispid figs. As suggested by Corner, these collections (made from sea level up to 3000 m) appear to represent only a form of F. wassa.
1The species is quite variable, in particular in leaf characters in the altitudinal range from sea level to 3000 m. At altitudes between 1300 and 3000 m, the material recognized as var. nubigena is found. It differs more or less clearly from that from the lowlands. The leaves are more often (sub)opposite, the petiole is often short (up to 1 cm long) and its epidermis is usually flaking off, the stipules are more often subpersistent, and the number of lateral veins tend to be smaller, mostly up to 6 pairs. However, the high altitude collections are not so clearly distinct that recognition of an infraspecific entity appears to be justified as it cannot be keyed out by any (combination) of the differences listed.
2. Although the epidermis of the petiole is normally persistent in lowland material, it sometimes flakes off at the basal part of the petiole or occasionally over its whole length. In the Solomon Islands, the epidermis of the petiole may flake off both at the basal and upper part. In this respect it resembles F. copiosa, but it can be readily distinguished by the shorter petioles and stipules, and the smaller figs. 5The material from the New Hebrides identified as F. wassa by Corner deviates somewhat from the material from the Solomon Islands, as in the clear tendency towards a subcordate base of the lamina and a slightly sunken ostiole, not surrounded by a distinct rim. 7This species is closely related to F. copiosa, from which it can be distinguished by the cuneate to rounded lamina base (in F. copiosa being usually cordate to subcordate), the shorter petioles, mostly up to 2.5 cm long (in F. copiosa in most collections longer than 4 cm) and their less strongly difference in length, mostly not more than 1:2. 6The leaves are rather frequently subverticillate.
2. Although the epidermis of the petiole is normally persistent in lowland material, it sometimes flakes off at the basal part of the petiole or occasionally over its whole length. In the Solomon Islands, the epidermis of the petiole may flake off both at the basal and upper part. In this respect it resembles F. copiosa, but it can be readily distinguished by the shorter petioles and stipules, and the smaller figs. 5The material from the New Hebrides identified as F. wassa by Corner deviates somewhat from the material from the Solomon Islands, as in the clear tendency towards a subcordate base of the lamina and a slightly sunken ostiole, not surrounded by a distinct rim. 7This species is closely related to F. copiosa, from which it can be distinguished by the cuneate to rounded lamina base (in F. copiosa being usually cordate to subcordate), the shorter petioles, mostly up to 2.5 cm long (in F. copiosa in most collections longer than 4 cm) and their less strongly difference in length, mostly not more than 1:2. 6The leaves are rather frequently subverticillate.
Citation
Summerh. 1941 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 22: 92
Roxb. 1967: p. 94. – In: Philos. Trans.: f. 25
Merr. 1917: Int. Rumph.: 193
Summerh. 1929 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 10: 147
Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 207
Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 65
Summerh. 1941 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 22: 95
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 298
Summerh. 1929 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 10: 147
Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 65
Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 207
K. Heyne 1927: Nutt. Pl. Ned.-Indië: 578
Wight 1843 – In: Ic.: t. 666
Corner 1960 – In: Gard. Bull. Singapore 17: 455
emend. K. Schum. & Lauterb. 1905: Nachtr. Fl. Schutzgeb. Südsee: 244: (p.p., Beccari PP 188; the other part, Forbes NG 765 = F. hystricicarpa Warb.)
Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 199
Summerh. 1941 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 22: 92
Diels 1936 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 207
Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 207
Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 207