Roxburgh fig

Appearance

This plant is a small tree of 5–10 m high with numerous bristle-covered branches. The leaves are big and round, and are up to 44 cm long and 45 cm wide, with cordate or rounded base, acute apex, and 5–7 main veins from the leaf base. Its petioles are up to 15 cm long, and it has stipules of about 2.5 cm long. The plant has oblate syconium that are up to 4 cm wide, covered with yellow pubescence, and emerge from the trunk or old branches of the tree. "Ficus auriculata" is dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate individuals. On ripening, the fruits turn from light yellow to purple. The fruit is a fleshy receptacle. The fruits form as large clusters on the trunk, on branches and also on the roots.

Fruit extracts contain many phenolic compounds.

Distribution

The native range of this species stretches from north-eastern Pakistan to southern China and the Malaysian peninsula. It is found in the countries of Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, southern China, East and West Himalaya, Hainan, India, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam.

Habitat

It grows in forests in moist valleys, growing along stream banks."Ceratosolen emarginatus" is an insect that helps to pollinate this plant.

Uses

The fresh fruit of this plant is consumed as food, and has diuretic, laxative and digestive regulating properties. "Ficus auriculata" is used as fodder in Nepal. It is least resistant to fire, but likes good sunlight.

The large leaves, often up to 21 in long and 12 in wide are used as plates.