Ficus sansibarica
| Knobbly fig | |
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| The nominate race in the Kruger Park | |
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| Species: | F. sansibarica
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| Binomial name | |
| Ficus sansibarica Warb. 1894
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The Knobbly fig (Ficus sansibarica) is an African species of cauliflorous fig. It is named after Zanzibar, where Franz Stuhlmann discovered it in 1889.[3] They regularly reach 10 m, but may grow up to 40 m tall as forest stranglers.[1] It occurs in the tropics and subtropics from coastal elevations to 900 m above sea level.[4] They prefer deep sandy soil and often start life as a strangler.[5][6] The pollinating wasp is Courtella armata.[4]
Description
The light grey bark is fairly smooth, though lumpy and folded.[1] The smooth leaves are up to 13 cm long and oblong-obovate.[6] They have parallel sides and are carried on slender petioles.[1]
The large (up to 5 cm), bitter-tasting figs appear in groups of 2 or 3 during the summer months.[1] They grow on the characteristic wart-like, leafless branchlets on the trunk and main branches (i.e. old wood).[5]
F. chirindensis of the forests of southeastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique is similar, but has the leaves more oval, often has buttress roots,[5] and bears the small (1.5 cm) figs in stalked pairs on second year branches.[1]
Races and status
- Ficus sansibarica (nom.) – East Africa: southern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland
- F. s. macrosperma (Warb. ex Mildbr. & Burret) C.C.Berg – West and Central Africa
The species is deemed critically endangered in Swaziland, where most are located in proposed sugar cane expansion areas near Sihoye.[7] On Inhaca Island however, it is held sacred by most communities, and is scrupulously protected.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Palgrave, K.C. (1984). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-86977-081-0.
- ^ "Ficus sansibarica Warb". The Plant List. Version 1. 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ a b Mtsweni, Patrick. "Ficus sansibarica Warb". plantzafrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ a b Van Noort; et al. "Ficus sansibarica sansibarica Warburg 1894". Figweb. iziko museums. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ a b c Van Wyk, Braam; et al. (1997). Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. p. 78. ISBN 1-86825-922-6.
- ^ a b Palmer, Eve (1977). A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa. London, Johannesburg: Collins. pp. 89–90. ISBN 0-620-05468-9.
- ^ "SABONET Report No. 38" (PDF). Moraceae. p. 119. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
External links
- Knobby Fig (Ficus sansibarica), natureswow blogspot
Media related to Ficus sansibarica at Wikimedia Commons