Ficus L. subg. Sycomorus (Gasp.) Miq. sect. Sycocarpus Miq. subsect. Sycocarpus (Miq.) C.C. Berg
Content
Description
Trees or shrubs, if rheophytic, then facultatively so.
— The majority of the species are small to medium-sized understorey trees, most of them up to c. 15 m tall, some up to 20 m tall, few (F. congesta and F. septica) sometimes up to 25 m tall. About 12 species are shrubs or treelets becoming not taller than 5 or 6 m; some of them are monocaul or sparingly branched. The narrow-leaved F. ixoroides may be facultatively rheophytic, the same might be the case with the (broader-leaved) F. albomaculata. Flagelliflorous species may form satellite individuals by the apices of the stolons growing upwards and becoming leafy. Such individuals of co-occuring species often contribute to mixed collections.
internal hairs usually present. — The phyllotaxy is variable in the section and often also within species. It varies from spirally arranged to subopposite to (sub)distichous, the latter state often on the ultimate branches. The variation of the symmetry of the lamina is to some extent related to the phyllotaxy. The symmetric lamina tend to be linked to the spirally arrangement of the leaves and the asymmetric one to distichous arrangement. But all combinations and variations occur within the section or within species. In species of small (monocaul or sparingly branched) trees, as F. calcarata, F. cryptosyce, F. decipiens, and F. multistipularis, the spirally arranged leaves are ± tufted and the lamina always symmetric.
The margin of the lamina is mostly dentate or denticulate, entire margins are found in only few species. The tertiary venation is scalariform in the majority of the species, transitions to subreticulate tertiary venation is found in some species, and clearly reticulate tertiary venation is found in F. carpenteriana and F. ixoroides.
The lamina is chartaceous in the majority of the species; in 20-25 species it can be or is subcoriaceous. The lamina is coriaceous in F. macrostyla and is mostly so in F. septica. In c. 40% of the species the lamina is scabrous only above or on both sides.
Leaves spirally arranged, (sub) distichous or (sub)opposite; — The perianth of the pistillate flower is colourless and the ovary red-brown. The tepals are connate. The perianth may be tubular and enclose the ovary or also with a narrow tubular extension enveloping the lower part of the style, it may cover only part of the ovary, it may be a small collar-like structure at the base (of the stipe) of the ovary, or even absent as in F. uncinata (). The dimensions of the perianth may vary within species. In the perianth of the short-styled flowers the reduction in size is often less or less common. Dimorphy of flowers as described is characteristic for the subsection. The ovaries are often stipitate. The style can be hairy or glabrous, even in the same species. The staminate flowers mostly have a single stamen, but two stamens occur, as in F. calopilina.
Stamens 1 (or 2). ovary glabrous; — The fruits are lenticular, often ± tuberculate on the sides. They mostly have a prominent pseudohilum and a distinct keel.
internal hairs usually present. — The phyllotaxy is variable in the section and often also within species. It varies from spirally arranged to subopposite to (sub)distichous, the latter state often on the ultimate branches. The variation of the symmetry of the lamina is to some extent related to the phyllotaxy. The symmetric lamina tend to be linked to the spirally arrangement of the leaves and the asymmetric one to distichous arrangement. But all combinations and variations occur within the section or within species. In species of small (monocaul or sparingly branched) trees, as F. calcarata, F. cryptosyce, F. decipiens, and F. multistipularis, the spirally arranged leaves are ± tufted and the lamina always symmetric.
The margin of the lamina is mostly dentate or denticulate, entire margins are found in only few species. The tertiary venation is scalariform in the majority of the species, transitions to subreticulate tertiary venation is found in some species, and clearly reticulate tertiary venation is found in F. carpenteriana and F. ixoroides.
The lamina is chartaceous in the majority of the species; in 20-25 species it can be or is subcoriaceous. The lamina is coriaceous in F. macrostyla and is mostly so in F. septica. In c. 40% of the species the lamina is scabrous only above or on both sides.
Leaves spirally arranged, (sub) distichous or (sub)opposite; — The perianth of the pistillate flower is colourless and the ovary red-brown. The tepals are connate. The perianth may be tubular and enclose the ovary or also with a narrow tubular extension enveloping the lower part of the style, it may cover only part of the ovary, it may be a small collar-like structure at the base (of the stipe) of the ovary, or even absent as in F. uncinata (). The dimensions of the perianth may vary within species. In the perianth of the short-styled flowers the reduction in size is often less or less common. Dimorphy of flowers as described is characteristic for the subsection. The ovaries are often stipitate. The style can be hairy or glabrous, even in the same species. The staminate flowers mostly have a single stamen, but two stamens occur, as in F. calopilina.
Stamens 1 (or 2). ovary glabrous; — The fruits are lenticular, often ± tuberculate on the sides. They mostly have a prominent pseudohilum and a distinct keel.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Lesser Sunda Is. present; Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Solomon Islands present, from north-eastern India to northern Australia and the Solomon Islands present
The subsection ranges from north-eastern India to northern Australia and the Solomon Islands. It comprises 84 species of which 72 found in Malesia; 10 species (see Corner 1967: 122, 137) are endemics of the Solomon Islands. The subsection is most speciose in New Guinea, with 28 species of which 22 endemic. Second in species richness is Borneo with 22 species of which 12 or 13 endemic (in the northern part of the island). The Philippines, Celebes, the Moluccas, and Sumatra are about equally rich, with 10-14 species, of which 4 or 5 species endemic in each of these areas. The section is poorly represented in Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands.
Ficus hispida and F. septica are found throughout the Malesian region (and extend outside); F. fistulosa and F. lepicarpa are found in the greater part of the Malesian region (and extend outside as well). The other species have (much) more restricted distribution.
The majority of the species are components of lowland vegetations, often riparian forest. Four species (F. iodotricha, F. serraria, F. sublimbata, and F. tarennifolia) are montane and 7 others (F. decipiens, F. hypogaea, F. morobensis, F. parvibracteata, F. rubrosyce, F. scopulifera, and F. ternatana) can be regarded as submontane species. At least 12 other species range to altitudes above 1500 m, even up to 2300 m. Several species, in particular the most widespread ones, F. fistulosa, F. hispida, and F. septica are common in secondary vegetation (and open country).
Ficus hispida and F. septica are found throughout the Malesian region (and extend outside); F. fistulosa and F. lepicarpa are found in the greater part of the Malesian region (and extend outside as well). The other species have (much) more restricted distribution.
The majority of the species are components of lowland vegetations, often riparian forest. Four species (F. iodotricha, F. serraria, F. sublimbata, and F. tarennifolia) are montane and 7 others (F. decipiens, F. hypogaea, F. morobensis, F. parvibracteata, F. rubrosyce, F. scopulifera, and F. ternatana) can be regarded as submontane species. At least 12 other species range to altitudes above 1500 m, even up to 2300 m. Several species, in particular the most widespread ones, F. fistulosa, F. hispida, and F. septica are common in secondary vegetation (and open country).