In Borneo Ficus rosulata is one of the the most common figs in the understorey of virgin lowland and hill forest.
In secondary forest and urban areas Ficus fistulosa occupies the same ecological niche i.e small understory trees with cauliferous figs that ripen green.
The range includes Borneo, the Malay Peninsula and Sumatera.
Ficus rosulata is easy to distinguish.
(1) The figs ripen either green or brown and are dispersed by small Cynopterus fruit bats.
The variety shown in the photographs is the brown variety
(2) The ostiole is encircled by a ring of peaked prominent black bracts.
Ficus fistulosa is a similar bat fig that ripens green but has lacks the bracts around the ostiole.
(3) The figs are cauliferous growing low down hanging in bunches from the trunk of relatively small trees.
The individual shown in the photographs was found in forest on the Boh Tea Estate in the Cameron Highlands.
Thanks to John Payne for information and photographs.
