Ficus hesperidiiformis

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Description

Tree up to 60 m tall, hemi-epiphytic. Leaves spirally arranged (to subdistichous); stipules (3-)8-25(-30) cm long, glabrous or puberulous (to subsericeous), caducous (or subpersistent). Fruits partly embedded in the inner layer of the wall.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical, New Guinea to the Solomon Islands present, mainly eastern present

From New Guinea to the Solomon Islands; in Malesia: New Guinea (mainly eastern).

Notes

5This species shows clear afﬁnities to two Australian species: a) F. crassipes F.M. Bailey with leaves rather similar to the collection Carr 15864 (mentioned above), but with shorter stipules; and b) F. pleurocarpa, but more clearly different in the pair of strong basal lateral veins and with brown indumentum in the areoles beneath. 4Material with discoid anthers with equatorial dehiscence has been identified as F. hesperidiiformis. It belongs, however, to F. sterrocarpa. 1This species, as currently delimited, is very variable as with regard to the presence of indumentum on various parts, the size and texture of the lamina, the shape and size of the receptacle, the length of the peduncle, the shape of the basal bracts, and the shape of the ostiole. Moreover, the anther varies. It is mostly reniform with crescentic dehiscence, but can be discoid with equatorial dehiscence. 3Carr 15864 (from Papua, at c. 2000 m) is somewhat distinct by the broadly elliptic to ovate to suborbicular lamina with about 15 pairs of lateral veins and a pair of relatively strong basal lateral veins. 2Material which was included in F. xylosycia by Corner has relatively small leaves (mostly 5-15 cm long) and often also relatively small ﬁgs (1-2 cm diam.) and more slender leafy twigs, but in other features indistinguishable from the material with larger leaves and ﬁgs. The two ‘forms’ are linked by intermediates. A note (M. Coode NGF 32553) that leaves of clearly different sizes are found on the same tree, might (partly) explain the two leaf size categories. Most of the collections with these small leaves are made at altitudes between 1000 and 2600 m. However, a form with a slender peduncle and small ﬁg receptacle with a rostrate apex (recognized as var. cylindrocarpa by Corner 1960) is found at low altitudes (at or near sea level); this form is linked to that from higher altitudes with intermediates.

Citation

Diels 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 181

Summerh. 1941 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 22: 81

Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 28

King 1889: Sp. Ficus App: 3: t. 226

Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 28

Summerh. 1941 – In: J. Arnold Arbor. 22: 81

Diels 1967: p. 71. – In: Philos. Trans.: t. 10

Corner 1965: – Gard. Bull. Singapore 21: 28