Ficus craterostoma Mildbr. & Burret

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Ficus craterostoma

Lusaka SE, grown from seed collected from Lake Mweru, Nchelenge; Apr 2013.
Photo: Mike Bingham

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Synonyms: Ficus luteola De Wild.
Ficus pilusola De Wild.
Common names: Forest figtree (English: Zambia)
Frequency: Occasional
Status: Native
Description:
Small to medium-sized tree, often growing as a lithophyte or strangler. Leaves spirally arranged or distichous, sometimes subopposite, 3−8 × 2−4.5 cm, hairless, dark green above, paler beneath, obtriangular to subobovate, the apex often markedly truncate or even slightly bi-lobed. Midrib not reaching the apex of the lamina. Petiole grooved along the top. Figs initially enveloped by a bud cover up to c. 10 mm. long; mature figs c. 15 mm in diameter, in pairs in leaf axils, sessile, warty with reddish spots.
Type location:
Tanzania
Notes: Distribution according to Burrows & Burrows: Mwinilunga to Mbala; Natal coast and isolated occurrences in montane areas of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
In Zambia it occurs in areas receiving about 1200 mm of annual rainfall.
Derivation of specific name: craterostoma: from cratero-, bowl-shaped and -stoma, opening or mouth (Gr); probably referring to the relatively large aperture or ostiole in the figs.
Habitat: Along the margins of evergreen forest.
Altitude range: Up to 2100 m
Flowering time:Sep - Dec
Worldwide distribution: Sierra Leone to Uganda, Tanzania and South to Angola and South Africa as far as Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): N,W
Zambian distribution (Provinces): Nw,Lp,N
Growth form(s): Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status: Lower Risk - least concern
Insects associated with this species: Alfonsiella michalaudi (Pollinated by this insect)
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Friday 5 July 2013
Literature:

Berg, C.C. (1991). Moraceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Pages 64 - 66.

Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2003). Figs of Southern and South-Central Africa Umdaus Press, South Africa Pages 187 - 191. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 90. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 27.

Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 141.

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 234.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 63.

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 95.

Other sources of information about Ficus craterostoma:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Ficus craterostoma
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ficus craterostoma
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Ficus craterostoma

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Ficus craterostoma
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Ficus craterostoma
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Ficus craterostoma
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Ficus craterostoma
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Ficus craterostoma
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Ficus craterostoma
JSTOR Plant Science: Ficus craterostoma
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Ficus craterostoma
Plants of the World Online: Ficus craterostoma
Tropicos: Ficus craterostoma
Wikipedia: Ficus craterostoma


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Ficus craterostoma.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=120270, retrieved 19 March 2024

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