RUBROCUSPIDATA Ficus rubrocuspidata Corner (1960) SECTION:SYCIDIUM
Latin: Red-pointed – presumably referring both to the figs and the pointed leaf tip.
Habit: A common small climber to 10 m in the under storey of wet forest throughout Borneo.
Leaves: Medium size leaves 3-15 cm but up to 23 cm long by 1.5-4.5cm wide with a smooth surface and entire (even) leaf edge. The leaves grow in a flat plane (distichous) and almost symmetric with a distinctive very long pointed drip tip.
Sex: Dioecious.
Figs: Tiny figs (0.4-0.6 cm) are scattered in small clusters in the leaf axils and along the bare twigs. Figs ripen orange to bright scarlet red.
Confusion species
Ficus leptocalama has similar leaves but the figs grow on long stolons and surface roots at ground level. The figs ripen pink and have a prominent open ostiole surrounded by a rim.
Borneo: A common endemic throughout the wetter areas of Borneo up to 1,500 m on Kinabalu.
