Ficus heteropleura

Content

Description

Shrub, tree up to 13 m tall, often (?) lianescent and/or hemi-epiphytic. Branchlets drying brown. internal hairs absent or short and sparse (to abundant). Leaves distichous; stipules amplexicaul or semi-amplexicaul, 0.2-1 cm long, glabrous or puberulous, caducous.

Distribution

Ambon present, Asia-Temperate: Hainan (Hainan present), Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Lesser Sunda Is. present; Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Maluku (Maluku present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present); Sumatera (Sumatera present); Thailand (Thailand present), Batjan present, Buru present, Ceram present, Flores present, From NE India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China present

From NE India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China (Hainan), Indochina, and Thailand to Malesia; in Malesia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, Philippines, Celebes, Lesser Sunda Islands (Flores), Moluccas (Buru, Ceram, Ambon, Batjan).

Notes

3Ficus heteropleura constitutes with F. cuspidata, F. kuchinensis, and F. sinuata, a group of ± closely related and partly sympatric species which can be very easily confused. Ficus heteropleura and F. kuchinensis can be rather easily distinguished from the other two species by the midrib of the lamina, being ± impressed above, although often less clearly in material of F. heteropleura from the Philippines. Ficus parietalis, which also has the midrib ± impressed above, can be told apart by the regular tertiary venation, largely (almost) perpendicular to the midrib and the more numerous intercostals. 1Material referred to F. heteropleura var. hirta Corner (1960) deviated so much from the already wide range of variation that it had to be excluded and described as a distinct species, F. kuchinensis. 2Within the species three rather distinct forms can be recognized:

a. Leafy twigs 1-2 mm thick, subhispidulous. Lamina elliptic to oblong, (2.5-) 5-15(-23) by (1-)2.5-6(-8) cm, base cuneate, apex usually (sub)caudate; lower surface sparsely subhispidulous to subglabrous; lateral veins mostly (2-)3-5(-6) pairs, the basal pair up to 1/4-1/2 the length of the lamina, tertiary venation mostly (sub)reticulate; petiole 0.3-1(-2); stipules mostly amplexicaul, 0.2-0.8 mm long, glabrous. Fig peduncle (0.1-)0.5-1.5 cm long, receptacle 0.3-0.6(-0.8) cm diam. when dry, ostiole 1-1.5 mm diam. — The typical form. — Throughout the Malesian part of the species range, but in the Philippines only with intermediates with the next form.
b. Leafy twigs 1.5-3 mm thick, subhispidulous. Lamina oblong to elliptic to subovate, (5-)8-20(-24) by (1.5-)3-7(-8) cm, apex acuminate to subcaudate or caudate, base cuneate or often rounded to obtuse, but then the very base sub- attenuate; lower surface subglabrous; lateral veins (4-)5-8 pairs, the basal pair up to 1/8-1/4 the length of the lamina, tertiary venation (sub)scalariform (to subreticulate); petiole 0.5-1.5(-2) cm long, subhispidulous; stipules mostly semi-amplexicaul, 0.3-0.8 cm long, glabrous. Fig peduncle 0.8-1.5 cm long; receptacle 0.6-0.8(-1) cm diam. when dry, ostiole c. 2 mm diam. — An atypical form (comprising the type of F. caudatifolia) with several collections linking it to the typical form. The leaves resemble those of material from the Asian mainland. Moreover, it links the typical widespread form with the next form, which otherwise would have been outside the range of variation one could expect within a species. — Philippines (Luzon, Polillo, Samar, Panay, Negros); at low altitudes; rather similar material also in the Asian mainland. — Mostly shrubs or treelets, less commonly lianescent.
c. Leafy twigs 2-4 mm thick, ± densely brown puberulous to subhispidulous. Lamina elliptic to oblong to subovate, 10-25(-45) by 4-10(-18) cm, apex acuminate, base rounded to cordulate; lower surface puberulous to subhispidulous on the veins, smooth to scabridulous; lateral veins 5-9 pairs, the basal pair up to 1/8-1/4, mostly running close to the margin and then unbranched, sometimes more distantly and then ± branched, tertiary venation (sub)scalariform; waxy glands sometimes in the axils of both lateral veins; petiole 0.5-1.5(-2) cm long, brown puberulous; stipules mostly semi-amplexicaul, 0.5-1 cm long, puberulous. Fig peduncle 0.4-1(-1.2) cm long; receptacle (0.8-)1-1.5 cm diam. when dry, sometimes with few lateral bracts, ostiole c. 3 mm diam., surrounded with a lobed rim. — A form recognized as var. mindanaensis. The differences with the other forms are such that a subspeciﬁc status has to be considered. — Conﬁned to the Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro, Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Biliran, Mindanao); at low altitudes. — Mostly shrubs or trees (up to 8 m tall), less commonly lianescent.

Citation

Elmer 1914 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 2400

Merr. 1908 – In: Philipp. J. Sci.: 402

Miq. 1851: Pl. Jungh.: 56

Kunth & C.D. Bouché 1867 – In: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat.: 293

Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 306

Miq. 1848 – In: London J. Bot.: 428

Renner 1907 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 394

Miq. 1848 – In: London J. Bot.: 428

Elmer 1906 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 188

Koord. & Valeton 1906 – In: Bijdr. Boomsoort. Java: 173

Roxb. 1886: Rev. Pl. Vasc. Filip.: 252

S. Vidal 1885: Phan. Cuming.: 145

Sata 1944 – In: Contr. Hort. Inst. Taihoku Imp. Univ.: 233

Corner 1960 – In: Gard. Bull. Singapore 17: 480

Kurz 1877 – In: Forest Fl. Burma: 452

Elmer 1908 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 534

Miq. 1888 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 498

Náves 1877–1883 – In: Blanco, Fl. Filip., ed. 3: t. 255

Elmer 1937 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 3475

Merr. 1923 – In: Enum. Philipp. Flow. Pl.: 48

Roxb. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 306

Kochummen 1978 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 148

Merr. 1923 – In: Enum. Philipp. Flow. Pl.: 58

Elmer 1937 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 3467

Roxb. 1867 – In: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat.: 278, 293

Blume 2000 – In: Tree Fl. Sabah & Sarawak: 243

Miq. 1861: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 174, 429

H.J.P. Winkl. 1913 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 361

F.X. Williams 1921: p. 206. – In: Hawaiian Plant. Rec.: f. 5

Gagnep. 1928 – In: Fl. Indo-Chine: 799

Sata 1944 – In: Contr. Hort. Inst. Taihoku Imp. Univ.: 231

King 1887: p. 11. – In: Sp. Ficus: t. 9

Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 77

Náves & Fern.-Vill. 1880: Nov. App.: 201

Elmer 1907 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 240

Wight 1843 – In: Ic.: t. 671

Elmer 1911 – In: Leafl. Philipp. Bot.: 1241

Roxb. 1851: Pl. Jungh.: 56

Koord. & Valeton 1918 – In: Atlas Baumart. Java: t. 752