FICUS CUCURBITINA King (1887) SECTION CONOSYCEAE
Latin: Refers to the cucumber like (long, narrow) shape of the fig.
Habit: At Lambir Hills, Harrison et al (2003) described the characteristic growth habits of 12 individuals as being very large hemi-epiphytes in the crown of 30 m + tall emergent trees. i.e. not stranglers with multiple roots enclosing the trunk of the host tree but canopy hemi-epiphytes with at least one large root reaching the ground. A scarce fig of lowland and hill forests up to 800m asl.
Leaf: Medium size oblong leaf averaging 7-15cm by 2.5-8cm wide with 9-12 pairs of side veins. The apex of the leaf is rounded with a small drip tip.
Figs: Large oblong figs: 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm long grow in pairs in the leaf axils at the ends of the branches. Figs ripen green to orange. Young figs are protected by calyptrate bud covers as is common with many of the Section Conosycea figs. See the article on Ficus elastica at Dalit Golf Club. According to Berg (2005) these young fig covers are 2.5 cm long, the largest in Borneo and look like stipules when they fall off. The ripe fig is covered in distinctive sharp hairs presumably to stop seed predators such as Large Green Pigeons swallowing the fruit whole.
Distribution: Scarce with a very scattered but widespread distribution.
Sabah: Menaggol River (Kinabatangan), Bakapit FR (Lahad Datu), Maliau Basin, Tawau Hills Park-near the main entrance.
Brunei: No records.
Sarawak: At Lambir the 27th commonest fig in the 52 ha plot with 5 individuals (Harrison 2005), Tg Datu NP., Gng Penrissen.
Kalimantan: At Gng Palung uncommon in alluvial bench forest and rare in freshwater swamp forest.(Laman & Weiblen 1998). Nunukan Island, NE Kalimantan.
Range: Thailand south to the Malay Peninsula, Philippines (Samar, Mindanao) and Borneo.
