Ficus L. subg. Ficus sect. Ficus subsect. Frutescentiae Sata
Content
Description
Shrubs or treelets, often the branches with internodes proximally long, becoming gradually shorter distally, and, therefore, the leaves ± tufted at the end of the branches.
stamens 2 or 3.
Fruits lenticular to reniform, smooth.
Distribution
Sino-Himalayan region present, from NE India to Korea, Japan and Taiwan, and to Malesia present
The subsection extends from NE India to Korea, Japan and Taiwan, and to Malesia. The majority of the c. 25 are elements of the Sino-Himalayan region.
Taxonomy
Two groups of species can be recognized:
- a. Ficus deltoidea-group (series Erythrogyneae Corner), centred in the western Malesian region and with three species, F. deltoidea, F. kofmaniae, and F. oleifolia. The Terminalia mode of branching is not clearly present, except in F. kofmaniae. These species can be epiphytic or epilithic and are as terrestrial plants often found on nutrient-poor substrates (like sandy soils). The midrib of the lamina is often furcate in F. deltoidea and F. oleifolia. The ‘seed-figs’ contain few fruits (or in F. oleifolia, sometimes only one fruit). The fruits are reniform and 3-4 mm long, thus, relatively large in remarkable contrast with the size of the figs.
- b. Ficus pedunculosa-group (series Podosyceae Corner) with c. 22 species. It is dis- tinctly associated with the Sino-Himalayan region, 5 of them extending to (or confined to) the western Malesian region (Malay Peninsula, Philippines, and the widespread F. pedunculosa even extending to Celebes, the Moluccas, and New Guinea). This group exhibits more or less pronouncedly the Terminalia mode of branching, with the first proximal internode(s) very short, the second (or third) long (and the nodes only with stipules) and the terminal ones much shorter, and, therefore, the leaves ± tufted. The uppermost internodes are very short and without leaves, but only subpersistent in a terminal tuft. The lower nodes bear only stipules, which are often not fully amplexicaul. In F. ischnopoda the stipules remain semi-amplexicaul to lateral also on the upper nodes of the twigs. Most of the species with these features are shrubs with streamsides or streambeds as typical habitats; some species are sometimes or often rheophytic.