Ficus virens Aiton var. virens

Corner, E.J.H. (1960) The Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 17: 377.

Mountain Fig; Banyan; Fig, Green; Fig, Mountain; Fig, Strangler; Figwood; Green Fig; Strangler Fig; White Fig; Fig, White

A strangling fig or banyan fig. Deciduous; leafless for about a week in September, October or November. Lenticels often in horizontal lines. Bark exudate rapid and copious.

Stipules about 0.5-1.5 cm long. Petiole with two ridges and three grooves on the upper surface. Leaf blades about 8-19 x 3.5-9 cm. Small oil dots visible with a lens, more conspicuous on the upper than on the lower surface of the leaf blade. Petiole producing a fairly clear watery to slightly watery-milky exudate.

Male flowers produced around the ostiole. In the female flower, the stigma linear, lateral and tuberculate. Bracts at the base of the fig, three, persistent. Lateral bracts not present on the outside of the fig body.

Figs sessile or pedunculate, peduncles up to 6 mm long, figs +/- globular, depressed globular or pyriform, about 8-13 x 7-12 mm. Orifice closed by interlocking apical and internal bracts.

Cotyledons orbicular to ovate, about 2-3 mm long, very small oil dots visible with a lens. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate to lanceolate, apex acute, base cordate, glabrous; oil dots not visible or oil dots very small, visible with a lens; petiole glabrous; stipules sheathing the terminal bud, elongate-triangular, about 5-10 mm long, falling early. Taproot slightly swollen. Seed germination time 18 to 83 days.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as south eastern Queensland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1150 m. Grows in well developed rain forest, drier, more seasonal rain forest, beach forest and monsoon forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the SW Pacific islands.

A common and widespread species. Produces large spreading branches with numerous aerial roots. Suitable only for large parks and gardens where they make distinctive specimens.

Leaf material of this species was active against some tumors. Collins et al. (1990).