Ficus coronulata

Last updated

Ficus coronulata
Gardenology.org-IMG 0670 rbgs10dec.jpg
LC (TPWCA) [1] [2] [3] :242
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Species:
F. coronulata
Binomial name
Ficus coronulata
Ficus coronulata Distribution.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]

Ficus salicina F.Muell.

Ficus coronulata, commonly known as the peach-leaf fig, [4] and in the Northern Territory as river fig and crown fig, [1] is one of several fig species commonly known as sandpaper figs. It is native to Western Australia and the Northern Territory. [5]

Contents

Description

Ficus coronulata is a tree growing up to 15 m (50 ft) tall. It is dioecious. Its twigs hang down, are from 0.9–5.4 mm (0.04–0.21 in) in diameter, and have glassy hairs lying close to the twig (appressed), with the twigs becoming smooth with age. [1] The leaf stem is 13–34 mm (0.5–1.3 in) long and 0.9–2.1 mm (0.04–0.08 in) in diameter, and is rough to the touch (or with scattered ascending glassy hairs), and deeply channelled on the upper surface. The leaves are alternate but occasionally opposite. They are narrowly elliptic or lanceolate in shape, and have a recurved entire margin. The leaf tip gradually tapers to a point apex acuminate, and the base of the leaf is wedge-shaped. The leaf dimensions are 50–333 mm long and 12–105 mm wide. The leaf surfaces is lightly rough to the touch (scabrid), occasionally with scattered appressed glassy hairs on the lower surface. The leaves also have cystoliths (hard stony structures) which are visible as raised opaque dots on upper surface. The lateral veins occur in 20–46 pairs. Stipules are lateral (occasionally interpetiolar) and are up to 21 mm long, with scattered appressed glassy hairs, and have ciliolate margins which lose their hairs. The fruit (syconia occur in the leaf axils, are globular, and up to 21 mm long and 21 mm in diameter, and they too are lightly rough to the touch. The ostiole protrudes into a crown with numerous ciliolate bracts (bracts with "eyelashes"), and is green to yellowish green at maturity. The peduncle is 21 mm long, 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter. There are three bracts at the base of up to 4 mm in length, with appressed glassy hairs, and the margins have minute hairs (cilia) which persist. Male florets are ostiolar in up to 4 rows, on stems with 4 or 5 tepals with cilia ("eyelashes") and each with one or two stamens. The female and gall florets are generally without stems (sessile), with 5 ciliolate (with "eyelashes") tepals. Interfloral bracts are absent. [1]

In the Northern Territory it has been found flowering in January, March, May, June, July, September, October and November, and it fruits all year round. [1]

It is not usually confused with other fig species, being distinctive by the green (or yellowish-green) of its mature syconia, and by its narrowly elliptic or lanceolate leaves. [1] It is not a strangling fig. [5]

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1862, by Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel [1] [3] :242 from a specimen found in 1855 in Arnhemsland (Arnhem Land) by Ferdinand von Mueller. [3] :243

Distribution and habitat

In the Northern Territory it is found in the bioregions: Arnhem Coast, Arnhem Plateau, Central Arnhem, Central Kimberley, Daly Basin, Darwin Coastal, Gulf Coastal, Gulf Fall and Uplands, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, Pine Creek, Sturt Plateau, and Victoria Bonaparte. [1] In Western Australia it is found in the bioregions: Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, and Victoria Bonaparte. [2]

It is found along rivers and creeks. [1] [2] It has been recorded as a host plant for the mistletoe species Amyema benthamii . [6]

Aboriginal names

For the aboriginal language group, Jaminjung, it is Ngaliwurru and Nungali; for the Garnimbi it is Jabawi; for the Mangarrayi and Yangman it is Garranba; for the Ngarinyman it is Jabawi; and for the Wagiman it is mardengdeng and dengdengin. [1]

Uses

Ficus coronulata is used both as medicine and as food by many indigenous groups across the Northern Territory, and the Jawoyn also use it for making fire-sticks. [1] Indigenous people could feed themselves and toss fruit in the river to attract turtles, which they would then catch. [7] :9

Rarely cultivated, Ficus coronulata has potential as a specimen tree in parks and gardens. [8] :187 It is also used as an herbicide.[ citation needed ] It is known for its debilitating effects on humans if accidentally ingested.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<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>Eucalyptus miniata</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus miniata, commonly known as the Darwin woollybutt or woolewoorrng, is a species of medium-sized to tall tree that is endemic to northern Australia. It has rough, fibrous, brownish bark on the trunk, smooth greyish bark above. Adult leaves are lance-shaped, the flower buds are ribbed and arranged in groups of seven, the flowers orange or scarlet and the fruit is cylindrical to barrel-shaped or urn-shaped, with ribs along the sides.

Ficus subpuberula is a lithophytic fig that is endemic to Australia. It ranges from extreme western Queensland, through the Northern Territory, into Western Australia.

<i>Ficus obliqua</i> Tree in the family Moraceae native to eastern Australia, New Guinea, eastern Indonesia to Sulawesi and islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

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>Haemodorum brevicaule</i> Species of flowering plant

Haemodorum brevicaule is a perennial herb from 0.025 to 0.3 m tall, in the bloodroot family, the Haemodoraceae, native to northern Australia. It has deep-red to purplish-black flowers which are seen from September to December, and it grows on red clay and basalt.

<i>Cochlospermum fraseri</i> Species of flowering plant

Cochlospermum fraseri is a tree in the family Bixaceae with common names cotton tree, kapok bush, and kapok tree. It is native to north western Australia.

Actinoschoenus arthrostyloides, commonly known as hairy actinoschoenus, is flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Western Australia throughout parts of the Kimberley region.

<i>Anigozanthos gabrielae</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos gabrielae is a species of Anigozanthos in the family Haemodoraceae known as dwarf kangaroo paw. This flowering, rhizomatous, perennial plant is endemic to Southwest Australia and grows on sand in areas which are wet in winter.

<i>Acacia simsii</i> Species of legume

Acacia simsii is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia in the family Fabaceae. It is native to New Guinea and northern Australia. In Australia it is found in both the Northern Territory and Queensland.

<i>Conostylis angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Conostylis angustifolia is a rhizomatous, tufted perennial plant species in the family Haemodoraceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. In September and October it produces yellow flowers in the species' native range.

<i>Conostylis argentea</i> Species of flowering plant

Conostylis argentea is a rhizomatous, tufted perennial plant species in the family Haemodoraceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. In July and August it produces white to cream flowers in the species' native range.

<i>Scaevola browniana</i> Species of shrub

Scaevola browniana is a shrub in the family Goodeniaceae, endemic to Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

<i>Pityrodia ternifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Pityrodia ternifolia is a flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, which is native to the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.

Polygala bifoliata is a species of flowering plant in the milkwort family (Polygalaceae), which was first described in 2012 by Raelee Kerrigan. It is endemic to the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

<i>Alysicarpus schomburgkii</i> Species of legume

Alysicarpus schomburgkii is a species of pea found in Australia, in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia. It was first described in 1926 by Anton Schindler from four specimens: two collected at Port Darwin and the others from north Queensland.

<i>Olearia minor</i> Species of plant in the family Asteraceae

Olearia minor, is a small flowering shrub in the family Asteraceae. It has alternate leaves and white to pale mauve daisy-like flowers from winter to December. It grows in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria.

Goodenia brachypoda is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is a low-lying to upright herb with narrow elliptic to oblong leaves, racemes of yellow flowers with leaf-like bracts at the base, and more or less spherical fruit.

Goodenia heppleana is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is an erect or prostrate herb with lance-shaped leaves at the base of the plant and racemes of yellow flowers.

Hibbertia echiifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is a variable shrub with elliptic to lance-shaped or oblong leaves and yellow flowers arranged singly in leaf axils, with twenty-nine to forty-five stamens arranged around the three carpels.

Hibbertia oblongata is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with scaly foliage, elliptic to oblong leaves, and yellow flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils, with 16 to 36 stamens arranged in bundles around the two carpels.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "FloraNT Flora of the Northern Territory factsheet: Ficus coronulata" . Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  2. 1 2 3 "Ficus coronulata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife . Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  3. 1 2 3 Miquel, F. A. W. (1862). "Synopsis Ficearum in Nova Hollandia hactenus detectarum". Journal de Botanique Neerlandaise. 1. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  4. ↑ "Ficus coronulata Miq". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
  5. 1 2 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Ficus coronulata". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  6. ↑ Downey, Paul O. (1998). "An inventory of host species for each aerial mistletoe species (Loranthaceae and Viscaceae) in Australia" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 5 (3): 685–720. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-25.
  7. ↑ Rose, Deborah Bird (2013). "Fitting into country". In Howard, Peter; Thompson, Ian; Waterton, Emma (eds.). The Routledge Companion to Landscape Studies. Routledge. ISBN   9780415684606.
  8. ↑ Brock, John (2001) [1988]. Native plants of northern Australia. Frenchs Forest, New South Wales: New Holland Press. ISBN   978-1-876334-67-3.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.