Ficus cereicarpa and Ficus francisci are two closely related small fig trees with unusual looking figs that grow in large tight bunches hanging from the trunk or from the base of the trunk on short branches.
Both species are Borneo endemics but Ficus francisci is more common and widespread. Ficus francisci is found in wet virgin forest throughout Borneo, whilst Ficus cereicarpa is confined to to the northern half of Borneo where the two species overlap in distribution. The main difference between the two species is that the figs of Ficus cereicarpa are covered in bracts whilst with Ficus francisci the bracts are confined to the area encircling the ostiole. On Kinabalu the differences are very clear. Elsewhere, where the distributions overlap, hybrids appear to be fairly common as in this example from Bukit Gemuk.
The photos below show a very tight conglomerate of immature figs collected from Bukit Gemuk FR just north of Tawau town in East Sabah by the Sandakan Herbarium team.
All photos and information thanks to Suzana Sabran of the Sandakan Herbarium.
