Beard of Jupiter

Appearance

The species shows affinities to F. cataupi. This species is remarkable in the variation of the lower surface of the lamina on which the areoles are (partly) not distinct, (partly) brownish tessellate, or partly foveolate, representing the successive stages of the differentiation of the lower surface of the lamina. The leaves are born on slender rooting branches. Whether the material under this name represent a subbathyphyll-state is not clear.
F.barba-jovis leaves are narrow and pointed and often bullate (corrugated with sunken veins), often “decurrent” with a lobe on one side of the leaf base.
Ficus barba-jovis figs can grow up to 10 cm in diameter- the size of a large orange. The fig is covered in short hairs. Close up the hairs can be seen to grow in two layers another characteristic of F. barba-jovis.

Naming

The Latin name means “Beard of Jupiter” ( Jupiter being one of several Roman gods named after a planet) and refers to the short hairs that cover the large fig fruit.

Distribution

Ficus barber-jovis is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia (North Borneo).

Behavior

It is a root climber vine, that grows up a tree trunk.

Habitat

Tropical forest.

Reproduction

Ficus barba-jovis fig plants are dioecious which means that each fig plant is either male or female.