Ficus geocharis growing along the trail to the temple at Matang in Kubah NP near Kuching, Sarawak. Note the orange circles in the photo above showing a tiny auricle or “ear” at the base of each leaf. The presence of an auricle distinguishes this fig from Ficus beccarii which has similar long narrow leaves and a very long drop tip but no auricle.
Both F. beccarii and F. geocharis are “earth figs” i.e. they produce their fig fruit on long stolons from the base of the trunk. The figs are normally covered in bracts and sometimes are very hairy.
All photographs by Elliot Gardner taken on 17 February 2020. The photos include the leaves of two separate plants growing near each other. Collections # EG890 and #EG899.
The photos were taken as part of a project entitled Ethnobotany and ethnotaxonomy of Moraceae in Sarawak supported by the National Parks Board of Singapore.
