Ficus uncinata, Ulu Ulu Resort, Temburong, Brunei

There used to be a Brunei Forest Department rest-house on the hill behind the Ulu Ulu Resort at Temburong in Brunei. When this building fell down the secondary forest was allowed to regenerate resulting in the appearance of a variety of interesting secondary forest plants. At least 4 different species of earth figs can be found within 50 meters of the Ulu Ulu resort buildings, F. uncinata, F. beccarii, F. geocharis and F. megaleia.

Roger Rajah is holding a fruiting stolon (surface root) of a Malayan Earth Fig (Ficus uncinata) that originates nearly two meters above ground from the trunk of this slender tree. Note the size of the figs which are similar to those of a langsat or a strawberry.

Notice that the figs are covered both curved bracts and the bracts themselves are covered in dense sharp hairs. This is strange for a fig that needs to be eaten by an animal before it can be dispersed ! The most likely explanation is that the bracts and the spines prevent the figs being swallowed whole by ground birds such as pheasants and partridges. These birds contain grit (small stones) in their gizzards which they use to grind up fig seeds. They are therefore seed predators not seed dispersers.

The fruiting stolons can grow from high on the the tree trunk.

Or at ground level as illustrated here.

The leaves of Ficus uncinata are also distinctive with a large lobe on one side of the base of the leaf.

Ficus uncinata is endemic to Borneo. It is not found in Sabah but one of the most common earth figs in Brunei and Sarawak.

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