VELCRO FIG FIG Ficus recurva var pedicellata SECTION: RHIZOCLADUS
Name Change 14 Feb. 2026 to Ficus uncinulata
Latin: Hooked – referring to the uncinate (hooked) hairs on the leaves, and twigs of all Ficus recurva varieties.
Note that according to Berg (2005) there are 5 different varieties of Ficus recurva but only Ficus recurva var pedicellata (the Velcro fig) has hooked hairs on the surface of the fig itself. See below for taxonomy.
Habit: A widespread root climbing fig in section Rhizocladus root climber with two very different types of leaves acrophylls and bathyphylls.
Fig: Unlike other varieties of Ficus recurva the figs (0.5-1.2 cm) grow on stiff peduncles (fruit stalks) in pairs directly opposite each other
Similar species: F villosa, F. sagittata and F. urnigera and other varieties of Ficus recurva.
Distinguish:
(1) Both F. villosa and F. sagittata have 6-10 side veins on the acrophylls whereas F. recurva var pedicellata only has 3-4 side veins
(2) The hairs on F. recurva are always more or less uncinate (hooked at the tips) as shown in the drawing. Note that in the field you will need a 10x lens to see the hooked hairs on Ficus recurva. As repeated below according to Berg (2005) only F. recurva pedicellata has hooked hairs on the fig fruit itself. However all varieties of Ficus recurva have hooked hairs on the twigs.
Distribution: Herbarium collections show that F. recurva is widespread in Sabah and Sarawak.
Range: Plants of the World Online lists the distribution as Malaya, Borneo and Palawan.
Taxonomy: Berg (2005) describes 5 different varieties of Ficus recurva in Borneo.
(1) var recurva (2) var eleganitor (3) var pedicellata (4) var ribesioides (5) var. urnigera. Later in Berg (2011) variety urnigera was raised to the status of a separate species-which we deal with separately. Note that according to Berg (2005) only Ficus recurva var pedicellata has hooked hairs on the surface of the fig. However ALL Ficus recurva varieties have hooked hairs on the hairy twigs intermixed with other straight and wavy hairs.
