Ficus L. subg. Synoecia (Miq.) Miq. sect. Rhizocladus Endl. subsect. Pogonotrophe (Miq.) C.C. Berg
Description
internal hairs abundant, stiff, long (at anthesis as long as the pistillate flowers, and separating the stigmas), brownish.
Leaves not clearly differentiated into bathyphylls and acrophylls, spirally arranged;
Stamens 2 (or 3), filaments free, anthers oblong in outline.
Fruits hardly compressed and not keeled.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka present), S China present
With a single species, ranging from Sri Lanka to S China and Malesia; in Malesia: Java, Borneo.
Morphology
The lack of clear differentiation into bathyphylls and acrophylls, the arrangement of the leaves in spirals, the presence of subnodal waxy glands, the abundant, stiff, and long internal bristles, put this species in an isolated position within the subgenus. The features listed, are shared with members of subg. Ficus subsect. Eriosycea, like F. glandulifera, rather than with (other) members of subg. Synoecia. Due to the habit, including the presence of adventitious roots on stem and branches, F. laevis is to be regarded as a member of subg. Synoecia. That position is confirmed by the pollinators, belonging to the genus Wiebesia ().