Species introCountry intro
Septic Figs
A common species of fig across Asia. It is called "septic" for its poisonous and corrosive latex which protects it from most herbivores. Fruits remain green when ripe. Fruits are mostly eaten and dispersed by fruit bats.
Borneo has around 150 native fig species and I have documented one third of it with 1StopBorneo Wildlife expeditions. I enjoy documenting figs as they are unique. Their flowers grow inside the fruits and can only be pollinated by specialized fig wasps which enters and breed inside the fruits.
''Ficus septica'' is a shrub or tree of the family Moraceae living at low altitudes from northeast India to north Australia , and throughout Malesia. It lives on the edge of the vegetation, often in degraded environments. The seeds of this species are dispersed by numerous species, including fruit bats when present.
