Bario Highlands: Ficus borneensis or a new species of strangling fig ?

Ficus borneensis is a common small endemic strangling fig of virgin hill forest on Kinabalu in Sabah.

Illustrated in the photos below is a common strangling fig of the Bario Highlands in NE Sarawak just south of the Sabah border.

The Bario fig is similar  to F. borneensis in many ways, the figs are small with large basal bracts  and an entirely flat plain ostiole. The leaves are small and leathery with loosely reticulate tertiary venation.

The main difference between F. borneensis and the Bario fig is that F. borneensis is oblong whilst the Bario fig is obovoid (egg shaped). Also the Bario fig ripens orange red whilst F. borneensis ripens a dark crimson red.

All photos and information thanks to Shavez Cheema, Chun Xing WONG and Yulinda Wahyuni  of 1 Stop Borneo Wildlife