Ficus coronata

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Ficus coronata
Ficus coronata.jpg
Ficus coronata cauliflory.jpg
fruit demonstrating cauliflory
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Subgenus: F. subg. Sycidium
Species:
F. coronata
Binomial name
Ficus coronata
Spin
Ficus coronata distribution.png
Occurrence data from AVH :blue dots represent detected outliers; red dots cultivated plants; and cyan dots points not tagged in either way
Synonyms

Ficus stephanocarpa Warb.

Ficus coronata, commonly known as the sandpaper fig or creek sandpaper fig, is a species of fig tree, native to Australia. It is found along the east coast from Mackay in Central Queensland, through New South Wales and just into Victoria near Mallacoota. It grows along river banks and gullies in rainforest and open forest. Its common name is derived from its rough sandpapery leaves, which it shares with the other sandpaper figs.

Contents

Taxonomy

Ficus coronata was first described by the Italian Marquese di Spigno in 1818. Its specific epithet the Latin coronata "crowned", referring to a ring of bristles around the apex of the fruit. Ficus stephanocarpa (also meaning 'crowned fruit') as described by the German botanist Otto Warburg is a synonym. [1]

Description

The sandpaper fig is a small tree which may reach the dimensions of 6–12 m (20–39 ft) tall by 3–5 m (9.8–16.4 ft) wide, although is generally smaller. The trunk is dark brown, and the ovate or elliptical leaves are 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) long by 2–5 cm (0.79–1.97 in) wide and very scabrous (rough) like sandpaper on the upper side. The new growth is hairy. The succulent oval fruit is around 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long and covered in dense hairs. [1] [2]

Distribution and habitat

The sandpaper fig is found along watercourses and gullies in rainforest, and less commonly in open forest. It may be associated with the rough-barked apple ( Angophora floribunda ). [3] It is found on limestone outcrops in Kanangra-Boyd National Park. [4] It is found from Mackay southwards through New South Wales and into eastern Victoria where it is listed as "threatened" under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. [5]

A study showed the species has recently expanded into south eastern New South Wales and into Victoria. [6]

Ecology

Ficus coronata serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the Queensland butterfly the common- or purple moonbeam ( Philiris innotatus ), [7] The Australasian figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti), green catbird (Ailuroedus crassirostris), olive-backed oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), topknot pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus), and grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) are among those animals who consume the fruit. [8]

Uses

The fruit is edible and palatable, [9] and was consumed by local Aboriginal people.

A popular story holds that the fig's leaves were used as sandpaper for polishing wood or turtle shells by indigenous people. Bonsai and fig enthusiast Len Webber stated they were too brittle and soft to function in this fashion, [10] but a more recent example found they did work. [11]

The sandpaper fig's leaves are an attractive attribute which may be highlighted with bonsai, although the trunk may not thicken spontaneously. [12] It is suited to a shady position in gardens, or medium to brightly lit indoor spaces. [13] Like all figs in garden situations, they attract birds, [14] such as species of silvereye and rainforest pigeon. [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ficus macrophylla</i> Species of banyan tree

Ficus macrophylla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay fig or Australian banyan, is a large evergreen banyan tree of the Mulberry Family (Moraceae) native to eastern Australia, from the Wide Bay–Burnett region in the north to the Illawarra in New South Wales, as well as Lord Howe Island where the subspecies F. m. columnaris is a banyan form covering 2.5 acres or more of ground. Its common name is derived from Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia. It is best known for its imposing buttress roots.

<i>Ficus rubiginosa</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Moraceaea native to eastern Australia

Ficus rubiginosa, the rusty fig or Port Jackson fig, is a species of flowering plant native to eastern Australia in the genus Ficus. Beginning as a seedling that grows on other plants (hemiepiphyte) or rocks (lithophyte), F. rubiginosa matures into a tree 30 m (100 ft) high and nearly as wide with a yellow-brown buttressed trunk. The leaves are oval and glossy green and measure from 4 to 19.3 cm long and 1.25 to 13.2 cm wide.

<i>Hibbertia dentata</i> Species of flowering plant

Hibbertia dentata, commonly known as toothed guinea flower, trailing guinea flower or twining guinea flower, is an ornamental plant in the family Dilleniaceae native to the east coast of Australia. Found in woodland, it is a trailing or twining vine with leaves with several small 'teeth' on the margins and bright yellow flowers in early spring. It adapts readily to cultivation and can be grown as a pot plant. The species was first described in 1817.

<i>Dianella caerulea</i> Species of flowering plant

Dianella caerulea, commonly known as the blue flax-lily, blueberry lily, or paroo lily, is a perennial herb of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, found across the eastern states of Australia and Tasmania. It is a herbaceous strappy perennial plant to a metre high, with dark green blade-like leaves to 70 cm long. Blue flowers in spring and summer are followed by indigo-coloured berries. It adapts readily to cultivation and is commonly seen in Australian gardens and amenities plantings.

<i>Kunzea ambigua</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea ambigua, commonly known as white kunzea, poverty bush or tick bush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is found mainly on sandstone soils in eastern Australia. Growing up to 5 m (16 ft) high and wide, it bears small white flowers in spring. Used in native gardening, it attracts native insects. It is also used in amenities planting and sand dune stabilization.

<i>Anopterus macleayanus</i> Species of tree

Anopterus macleayanus, commonly known as Queensland laurel or Macleay laurel, is a shrub or small tree in the family Escalloniaceae. It is native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia.

<i>Atherosperma</i> Genus of trees

Atherosperma moschatum, the southern sassafras or blackheart sassafras, is an evergreen tree native to the cool temperate rainforests of Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales in Australia. It is common in the rainforests of Tasmania and Victoria, but more scattered and rare in the higher altitudes of eastern New South Wales. The northernmost area is at Mount Grundy, west of Port Macquarie.

<i>Ficus obliqua</i> A tree, the small-leaved fig

Ficus obliqua, commonly known as the small-leaved fig, is a tree in the family Moraceae, native to eastern Australia, New Guinea, eastern Indonesia to Sulawesi and islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Previously known for many years as Ficus eugenioides, it is a banyan of the genus Ficus, which contains around 750 species worldwide in warm climates, including the edible fig. Beginning life as a seedling, which grows on other plants (epiphyte) or on rocks (lithophyte), F. obliqua can grow to 60 m (200 ft) high and nearly as wide with a pale grey buttressed trunk, and glossy green leaves.

<i>Angophora floribunda</i> Species of tree

Angophora floribunda, commonly known as the rough-barked apple, is a common woodland and forest tree of the family Myrtaceae native to Eastern Australia. Reaching 30 m (100 ft) high, it is a large tree with fibrous bark and cream-white flowers that appear over the Austral summer. It grows on alluvial soils on floodplains and along watercourses. Much of the land it grew on has been cleared for agriculture.

<i>Doryphora sassafras</i> Species of tree

Doryphora sassafras, commonly known as sassafras, yellow-, canary- or golden sassafras, or golden deal, is a species of evergreen tree of the family Atherospermataceae native to the subtropical and temperate rainforests of eastern New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. It is a tall tree with green foliage and contrasting white flowers which occur in Autumn and Winter.

<i>Ficus henneana</i> Species of fig

Ficus henneana is a strangler fig only occurring in Australia. Previously considered a variety of Ficus superba which occurs in China, Japan and parts of South East Asia. The cedar fig or deciduous fig grows in Australia from Milton, New South Wales to northern Queensland and the Northern Territory. The habitat is riverine, littoral or the drier forms of rainforest. The fruit is considered edible for humans, but it is not particularly palatable.

<i>Piper novae-hollandiae</i> Species of flowering plant

Piper novae-hollandiae, known as the giant pepper vine, is a common climber growing in rainforests of eastern Australia. It is related to the pepper plant. It grows north from Mount Dromedary in southern New South Wales to tropical Queensland.

<i>Astroloma humifusum</i> Species of plant

Astroloma humifusum, commonly known as the native cranberry or cranberry heath, is a small prostrate shrub or groundcover in the heath family Ericaceae. The species is endemic to south-eastern Australia.

<i>Astroloma pinifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Astroloma pinifolium, commonly known as pine heath, is small prostrate shrub or groundcover in the family Ericaceae endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Gahnia aspera</i> Species of grass-like plant

Gahnia aspera known as the rough saw-sedge or round sawsedge is a tussock forming perennial plant, often seen in moist situations. The long strap like leaves grow to 80 cm long.

<i>Calochlaena dubia</i> Species of fern

Calochlaena dubia, commonly known as soft bracken, false bracken, common ground fern or rainbow fern, is a small Australian fern in the treefern family Dicksoniaceae. It is very common within its range, and often seen growing under eucalyptus forest, often on the poorer quality soils. It is an easy plant to grow in the garden.

<i>Adiantum hispidulum</i> Species of fern

Adiantum hispidulum, commonly known as rough maidenhair fern or five-fingered jack, is a small fern in the family Pteridaceae of widespread distribution. It is found in Africa, Australia, Polynesia, Malesia, New Zealand and other Pacific Islands. Its fronds rise in clumps from rhizomes among rocks or in the soil in sheltered areas.

<i>Lasiopetalum ferrugineum</i> Species of flowering plant

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum, commonly known as rusty velvet-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family and is endemic to eastern Australia. Growing up to a metre tall, much of the plant is covered in rusty hairs. It is found in forest and heathland.

<i>Lasiopetalum macrophyllum</i> Species of shrub

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum, commonly known as shrubby velvet bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped to lance-shaped with rust-coloured hairs on the lower surface, and woolly-hairy, cream-coloured and reddish flowers.

<i>Marsdenia suaveolens</i> Species of plant

Marsdenia suaveolens, commonly known as the scented milk vine, is a small vine found in New South Wales, Australia. It is found in a variety of habitats in relatively high rainfall areas, from Bega to Port Macquarie. The original specimen was collected at Sydney on 11 May 1802.

References

  1. 1 2 Elliot, Rodger W; Jones, David L; Blake, Trevor (1986). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 4 (Eu-Go). Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 213–X. ISBN   0-85091-589-9.
  2. Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (2000). Native Plants of the Sydney District:An Identification Guide (2nd ed.). Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. pp. 61–62. ISBN   0-7318-1031-7.
  3. Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1998). "Ecology of Sydney plant species:Part 6 Dicotyledon family Myrtaceae" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 5 (4): 809–987. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  4. Parks and Wildlife Division (2005). "Kowmung River, Kanangra-Boyd National Park: Wild River Assessment" (PDF). Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW). Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. "Threatened List March 2008" (PDF). Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Department of Sustainability and Environment. 10 November 2020.
  6. Wilde, Brendan C.; Rutherford, Susan; Yap, Jia-Yee S.; Rossetto, Maurizio (June 2021). "Allele Surfing and Holocene Expansion of an Australian Fig (Ficus—Moraceae)". Diversity. 13 (6): 250. doi: 10.3390/d13060250 . ISSN   1424-2818.
  7. Braby, Michael F. (2005). The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p.  228. ISBN   0-643-09027-4.
  8. Floyd, Alex G. (2009). Rainforest Trees of Mainland Southeastern Australia. Lismore, NSW: Terania Rainforest Publishing. p. 230. ISBN   978-0-9589436-7-3.
  9. Lindsay, Lenore (March 1992). "Fancy a feast? Try a fig". Australian Plants. 16 (130): 251–52.
  10. Webber, Len (1991). Rainforest to Bonsai. East Roseville, NSW: Simon and Schuster. p. 125. ISBN   0-7318-0237-3.
  11. "Ficus coronata leaves as sandpaper". 3 July 2020.
  12. Koreshoff, Dorothy and Vita (1984). Bonsai with Australian native Plants. Brisbane: Boolarong Publications. p. 52. ISBN   0-908175-66-3.
  13. Ratcliffe, David & Patricia (1987). Australian Native Plants for Indoors. Crows Nest, NSW: Little Hills Press. p. 89. ISBN   0-949773-49-2.
  14. Elliot, Rodger (1994). Attracting Wildlife to Your Garden. Melbourne: Lothian Books. p. 58. ISBN   0-85091-628-3.
  15. Dengate, John (1994). Attracting Birds to Your Garden. Kenthurst: New Holland Press. p. 23. ISBN   1-86436-411-4.