Illustration from the Tree Flora of Sabah & Sarawak Vol. 3. Pg. 279.
GLANDULIFERA Ficus glandulifera Wall ex Miq. King (1888) SECTION ERIOSYCEAE
Latin: Covered in glands referring to the fact that this fig has two sets of waxy glands (a) Twin circular glands at the base of the petiole (leaf stalk) and (b) At the base of the leaf in the basal lateral veins.
Habits: A generally rare but locally common small tree of poor soils to 30 m.
Fig: Similar species: See chart below
Taxonomy: Berg (2005) lists two very similar species for Borneo F. lamponga (uncommon in forest) and Ficus glandulifera (locally common in poor soils).
See Berg (2008) Ficus glandulifera and Ficus lamponga in which Berg revised the status of Ficus lamponga which is found from India south to the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra (but not Borneo). The two related Borneo species are divided into F. glandulifera (hairy in all parts) with a widespread distribution in SE Asia including Borneo, and F. lumutana (not hairy) confined to Borneo and Sulawesi.
NOTE: Ficus lumutana also has two sets of glands (a) A circular band (not 2 circles) at the base of the petiole (leaf stalk) and (b) At the base of the leaf in the basal lateral veins.
| Glandulifera | Lumutana | |
| Lateral veins | 5-8 pairs | 7-9 pairs |
| Basal veins | Similar to other side veins | Running close to the margin |
| Basal veins | Long 1/3 to ½ of the lamina | Short 1/10 to 1/6 of lamina |
| Figs | Occasionally stipitate | Always stipitate |
| Distribution | Common in forest | Rare in forest |
| Range | Thailand to N.Guinea | Borneo and Sulawesi only |
Stipitate refers to a fig in which the top of the fleshy fig extends as part of the stalk (peduncle). The difference is usually clear because fig and peduncle are different colors. See articles on Ficus dubia and Ficus magnoliifolia for examples.
