Ficus barba-jovis and Ficus punctata are two very different figs but because they are both root climbers with large figs they are often confused.
Both species are found in lowland forest but the distributions hardly overlap leading to the suspicion that they might be conspecific i.e. the same species. The research necessary to prove that they are different species e.g. comparison of fig wasps and DNA has yet to be carried out.
Ficus barba-jovis is endemic to northern Sabah and is found in the forest at the base of Kinabalu, Deramakot and Sepilok. Ficus punctata is common at Danum Valley, Tawau Hills and Maliau. Both species occur at Tabin wildlife reserve. As far as is currently known there are no records of Ficus barba-jovis south of the Sabah border.
Thanks to Shuai LIAO for photos and information.
Distinguishing Ficus barba-jovis & Ficus punctata
| F. punctata | F. barba-jovis | |
| Range | S.E Asia forests and orchards | N. Sabah forest endemic |
| Growth habit | Large root climbing liana. Roots often free hanging with age | Slim roots attached to host trunk Never loose hanging |
| Leaves growth | Bathyphyll and acrophyll leaves very different | Leaves relatively uniform |
| Leaf habit | Acrophyll leaves on hanging branches | Leaves cover host trunk like overlapping feathers |
| Leaf side veins | Up to 6 usually less. | Often more than 6 up to 10 |
| Fig size s | Large to 12+ cm diam. | Large to 5 cm. diam |
| Fig position | Cauliferous on large bare liana often free hanging | Cauliferous surrounded by leaves close to host trunk |
| Fig colour | Uniform orange to dark red | Mottled pink and pale yellow like a peach |
| Hairs on fig | Very short, sparse, stiff | Dense, soft, mixed long and short |
| Basal bracts | Small, at junction of stalk and stipe | Fig has no stipe so the 3 large bracts are on fig itself. |
| Stipe (neck) on fig | Always | Rarely? |
