WorldFloraDB - Ficus platyphylla

Characteristics

Tree up to 15 m. tall, (secondarily?) terrestrial.. Leafy twigs (5–)10–20 mm. thick, densely white puberulous or velutinous, on the nodes pubescent; periderm flaking off when dry.. Leaves in spirals; lamina coriaceous, ovate to elliptic or subovate to oblong, (8–)15–26 × (5–)10–20 cm., apex obtuse to acute, base cordate; margin entire to repand; upper surface glabrous or puberulous on the lower part of the midrib, lower surface white puberulous to pubescent or only puberulous on the main veins; lateral veins 10–16 pairs, the basal pair branched, reaching the margin far below the middle of the lamina; tertiary venation partly scalariform; petiole 4–10 cm. long, 2–5 mm. thick, periderm not flaking off when dry; stipules 0.8–3.5 cm. long, densely white tomentose to puberulous to subvelutinous, caducous.. Figs up to 5 together in the leaf-axils or just below the leaves; peduncle 1–2.5 cm. long; basal bracts ± 3 mm. long, persistent.. Receptacle globose, 1–2 cm. in diameter when fresh, ± 1(–1.5) cm. when dry, puberulous, waited, greenish at maturity.

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A fig. It is a large tree. It grows up to 15-20 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. It often starts by growing attached to others trees. The bark is brown or grey. It often has many surface roots. The small branches are 1-2 cm thick and white or hairy. The surface is flaky when they are dry and it has large leaf scars. The leaves are dark green and oval. They are large and stiff. They can be 15-26 cm long and 10-20 cm across. The edge of the leaf is wavy and the tip can be blunt or pointed. The base of the leaf is heart shaped. There are 9-11 (10-16) pairs of side veins. The leaf stalk is 4-10 cm long. The fruit are figs which occur in clusters or 2-5. They are towards the tip of the small branches. They are on stalks 1-2.5 cm long and below the leaves. The figs are 1-2 cm across. They are red (green). The figs are edible.

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Growth form	tree
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Foliage retention	evergreen
Sexuality	monoecy
Pollination	entomogamy
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Mature height (meter)	15.0 - 20.0
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Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in dry savannah and wooded grassland. It grows in the Sahel. It grows between 950-1,200 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 600-1,300 mm. It can grow in arid places.

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Open and wooded savannah.

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Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The fig fruit are eaten. The tree produces Niger Gutta which used to be used for chewing gum.

Uses	dye environmental use fiber food fuel gum material medicinal social use
Edible	fruits gums
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Cultivation

Plants grow naturally from seed. Plants can also be grown from cuttings. The seed should be extracted from the figs and dried for planting. Seed can be stored fro 2 months.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	15 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°)	21 - 26
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