| Ficus pseudopalma | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Genus: | Ficus |
| Subgenus: | F. subg. Sycomorus |
| Species: | F. pseudopalma |
| Binomial name | |
| Ficus pseudopalma | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Ficus blancoiElmer | |
Ficus pseudopalma is a species of fig, (subgenus Sycamorus) in the mulberry family (Moraceae). [1] It is known by the common names Philippine fig, dracaena fig, and palm-leaf fig. [2] In nature it is endemic to the Philippines, especially the island of Luzon. [2] It is known elsewhere as an ornamental plant.
This is a shrub or rarely branching small tree growing erect with a naked unbranched mesocaul stem topped with a cluster of wavey-edged leaves to give it the appearance of a palm. [3] Indeed, the species name pseudopalma means "false palm". [4] The leaves are 75–100 cm (30–40 in) long and up to 15 cm (6 in) wide, [5] [6] with a yellow midrib and edged with dull teeth. The edges of the leaf are elevated above the midrib, forming a sort of trough. [7] The fruit is a dark green fig that grows in pairs, each fruit 2.5 cm (1 in) diameter; it is edible but not very tasty. [5]
In Luzon, this plant occurs in grassland and forest habitat, where it is considered common. [8] The new shoots of the plant are eaten as a type of vegetable, and there are a number of traditional medicinal uses, such as a remedy for kidney stones made from the leaves. [9] In Bicol Region the plant is known as Lubi-lubi and the leaves are cooked in coconut milk. [4] In 2003 the leaves were sold in markets for US$0.74 per kilogram, and the plant can be grown in plantations without pesticides for an adequate profit. [4]
This shrub has been used as a landscaping plant in Hawaii, but it never escaped cultivation or became established in the wild because the species of wasp that pollinates it was never brought to the islands. [3]
