Ficus dubia at Taman Tasik (Lake Gardens) Seremban, Negri Sembilan in West Malaysia.
The photo above shows the distinctive stipule of Ficus dubia which is sharply pointed like a needle and hairless.
Important Note: There is some possibility that this fig might be Ficus kerkhovenii which has similar leaves and stipules. The only way to be 100% sure is to tell them apart, is by the appearance of the figs which are very different.
The orange arrows in the photo above also show the tiny buds of fig fruits. Normally tiny buds like these take 6 or 7 weeks to develop to full ripeness. However if there is a local shortage of pollinating fig wasps at the pollination receptivity stage, the figs can delay ripening for several additional weeks, waiting for the arrival of the fig wasps. If after several weeks no pollinating fig wasp has entered the fig, then it is normally aborted and drops to the ground.
All photos by Pui Kiat HOO
