Ficus melinocarpa: Fruiting next to the Tabin road

This female Ficus melinocarpa was fruiting at the edge of the Tabin Wildlife Reserve  in East Sabah on 17 February 2021.

F. melinocarpa  is most common in the Solomon Islands  east of New Guinea where it is an important component of the island forests. In Borneo F. melinocarpa is rare and has obviously arrived in Borneo from the east across Wallace’s Line. Note that the seeds are covered in a hairy “skin” which is highly unusual for figs. Note also that the leaves grow in a flat plane (distichous)  which is typical of figs in Section sycidium. This feature easily distinguishes F. melinocarpa from similar figs with tall straight pale trunks and large buttresses such as Ficus callosa and Ficus albipila in Section Oreosycea with leaves that grow in spirals on the twig.

Thanks to Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin of the SFGC for the information and photos.