The Laurel fig (Ficus ilicina) is a species of rock-splitting[2] fig that is native to the semi-desert regions of southwestern Africa. It is only found on rocks,[3] up to an altitude of 1,300 m (4,300 ft).[4]
| Laurel fig | |
|---|---|
| |
| In the Naukluft, Namibia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Genus: | Ficus |
| Subgenus: | F. subg. Urostigma |
| Species: | F. ilicina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ficus ilicina | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
editIt is generally a scrambler on rocks, but also a medium-sized shrub, or rarely a large tree of 5 m (16 ft) tall or more.[3] It is mostly evergreen, though a few are bare in spring, just before new foliage emerges. The elliptic leaves are more than twice as long as they are wide, shiny above and matte below.[3] The sessile or stalked figs are produced in the summer months. They are about 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter and appear in the leaf axils near the branch tips.[3]
Range
editIt occurs in southwestern Angola, the Namibian escarpment and Khomas hochland, and in the Northern Cape, South Africa.
Species associations
editThe pollinating wasp is Elisabethiella enriquesi (Grandi).[4] The figs are eaten by birds and people.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Ficus ilicina (Sond.) Miq., Synonyms". The Plant List. 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ^ Burring, Jan. "Ficus abutilifolia (Miq.) Miq". PlantZAfrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Curtis, B., Mannheimer, C. (2005). "Ficus ilicina, Rock-splitting Fig". Tree Atlas of Namibia. National Botanical Research Institute, Windhoek. Archived from the original on 2014-11-19. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Van Noort, S., Rasplus, J. "Ficus ilicina (Sonder) Miquel 1867". Figweb. Iziko Museums. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links
edit- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Ficus ilicina". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.