Ficus fulva. This fig growing as a small tree on the right hand side of the steps up to the office at Kipandi was fruiting in January 2017. From the 3 different sized fruit this is almost certainly a male fig on which you can see figs from 3 different crops.Ficus fulva. Around two thirds of Borneo’s fig species are dioecious with separate male and female trees including Ficus fulva. Male trees can be recognised only from their figs which often have the following characteristics. (1) Male figs are larger and paler than female figs when ripe (2) Male figs may split open (from the ostiole) when ripe (3) Male figs are never eaten by animals and eventually drop to the ground and rot. (4) Male figs are often associated with numerous ants of more than one species which appear to assist the fig plant against parasitic wasps that parasitize pollinating fig wasps. This large yellow fig is an uneaten male fig from the previous crop still on the tree whilst a new crop of young male figs have developed. At Lambir, Harrison et al (2000) found that male Ficus fulva trees sometimes had overlapping crops of figs on the same tree so that the pollinating fig wasp pollinator population could be maintained.Ficus fulva, Kipandi, Crocker Range, Sabah. A new crop of young male figs emerging simultaneously with leaf renewal.Ficus fulva, Kipandi.
