Site icon THE FIGS OF BORNEO

Ficus variegata, Bangar Padang, Temburong, Brunei

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Ficus variegata is a common fig throughout Borneo  especially on forested river floodplains but also often on the edge of towns. The tall straight white trunk with bunches of cauliferous figs hanging from the trunk  is distinctive. This fig can only be confused with Ficus racemosa  which is the most common fig along river banks in Borneo. The main trunk of Ficus racemosa is shorter and more branched. The  easiest way to distinguish the two fig species is by the leaf shape. Ficus variegata has large heart shaped leaves with a long petiole (leaf stalk). Ficus racemosa leaves are smaller, thinner and a brighter, more glossy green.

Ficus variegata trunks have large root buttresses. All photographs are by Arlene Walshe of the same tree on Bangar Town Padang, Temburong, Brunei.
Ficus variegata is a common tree  throughout SE Asia south to Australia. The fig fruit are eaten by orangutans, gibbons, macaques, binturongs but mainly by fruit bats in urban areas.
Note the more or less heart shaped leaves. Ficus racemosa has  smaller, thinner,  more elongated leaves.
Ficus variegata figs on different trees  ripen a variety of colours  from green to pink to bright red but fruit bats often eat the figs when they are green.

Ficus  variegata is dioecious (separate male and female trees). From the seeds visible in this cut fig fruit this can only be a female tree as male trees do not produce seeds.

 

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