After Ficus kerkhovenii,Ficus forstenii is the second most common large strangler at Maliau in the forest surrounding the Maliau Study Centre. This individual tree is about 15 minutes walk from the Study Centre along the Wildlife Trail. According to Miyabi Nakabayshi, Binturong expert, both strangler species attract large numbers of birds and mammals when fruiting including Binturongs.
The strangler illustrated above was not fruiting during our visit but was easy to identify from the very distinctive leaves (1) The under surface with numerous prominent side veins and (2) The corrugated or “bullate” upper surface with “sunken” side veins. Ficus pisocarpa also has sunken side veins on the upper surface of the leaf but the leaf is smaller and rounder and the side veins are less numerous.
