Up to 100 tai chi enthusiasts can be seen daily doing early morning exercises at Tai Chi Plaza in the Singapore Botanic Gardens underneath a grove of five different fig trees including F. superba (illustrated), F. benjamina, F. kerkhovenii, Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa. Fig trees are believed to enhance the flow of vital bodily energy “chi” or “qi.” providing an extra early morning energy boost to the keen participants
Ficus superba is locally common on the coast and small islands of Singapore but relatively rare elsewhere due a very specialised habitat niche. The range is restricted to small rocky islands and coasts in the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea eastwards to Timor just north of Australia. Ficus superba has recently been discovered in several location along the west, and south coast of Kalimantan. F. superba specialises in very windy , rocky coats where it has little competition. from other plants.
This map from Berg & Corner (2005) shows the very curious distribution of Ficus superba which has not yet been found on the mainland of Sumatra and Borneo although it almost certainly occurs on some of the offshore islands.
