Ficus leptogramma (male), Crocker Range, Sabah

Ficus leptogramma is a Borneo endemic fig that is most common in cloud forest where rainfall exceeds 4m per annum. This extraordinary tree was growing in remnant hill forest below Mushroom Shed#40 on the Kota Kinabalu to Tambunan Road at c.1,000m asl in the Crocker Range.

This F. leptogramma is a male tree and as seems to be common with cauliferous male figs the bunches of figs are surrounded by a sort of black sawdust. On some trees at least this sawdust appears to be the remnants of the gall flowers from inside the dead male figs,. It appears that ants clean out the male fig fruit after the fig wasps have left so that they can use the hollow shells as domatia or temporary housing. This sawdust absorbs water directly both from the constant rain and also from the rainwater flowing down the trunk. If you look carefully at the photo below you will note that the tree is growing adventitious roots into the black sawdust mess. The fig tree therefore gains both water and nutrients from the decaying male figs, whilst they are rotting on the tree whilst the ants gain shelter form the constant rain.

Note that all sizes and ages of male figs are shown in this photo. With most Bornean figs the crops are synchronised within the tree but obviously not with F. leptogramma.

Typical of male figs, once the fig wasps have left to pollinate the female figs on a nearby tree, most of the uneaten figs fall to rot on the ground. Male figs act as brood chambers for fig wasps and do not produce seeds. They are rarely eaten by any animals.

Ficus leptogramma. This photo shows all sizes of figs from the same tree illustrated above.

The Kota Kinabalu to Tambunan Road crosses the Crocker Range at the northern end of the Crocker Range NP. There are many stopping sites along the road which are rich in figs including Gunung Alab and the Rafflesia Centre.

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