Ficus satterthwaitei, male and female trees  growing near each other near the bottom of the loop road at Kinabalu Park HQ, Sabah. All photos by Shuai LIAO. Collection # 20190337.

01 Ficus sattertwaitei, Kinabalu Park●20190337★Shuai LIAO-LSL_8458
Ripe Female figs. These green figs are already ripe  and will be  eaten and the seeds dispersed by small Cynopterus fruit bats.

14 Ficus sattertwaitei Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8470.JPG

15 Ficus satterthwaitei  Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_9162.JPG
Section through a ripe female fig

14 Ficus satterthwaitei female seeds  Kinabalu Park●20190337★Shuai LIAO.JPG

The  ripe seeds inside this female fig are clearly visible.

 

02 Ficus satterthwaitei male  Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8457.JPG
Ficus satterthwaitei ripe male figs.  Ficus satterthwaitei figs are dioecious meaning separate male and female trees. Male figs contain both male and female flowers. The male flowers produce pollen. The female flowers do not produce seeds but act as brood chambers for  both male and female fig wasps. When the fig wasps hatch they mate and the females leave the male fig carrying pollen and fly off to pollinate the flowers of a nearby female tree.03 Ficus satterthwaitei  male fig  Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8455.JPG

The fig wasps have already left this male fig so the fig itself is redundant and will rot either on the tree or on the ground. No animal eats male figs.

06 Ficus sattertwaitei Kinabalu Park HQ●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8449.JPG

05 Ficus sattertwhaitei Kinabalu Park HQ ●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8450.JPG

07Ficus satterthwaitei stipule KPHQ ●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8452.JPG

09 Ficus satterthwaitei Male tree  Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8468.JPG00 Ficus satterthwatei male leaves Kinabalu Park●20190337★Shuai LIAO.JPG

13 Ficus satteerthwaitei Kinabalu Park●20190337★ Shuai LIAO-LSL_8448.JPG