Difference between revisions of "Ficus macrophylla"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | Ficus macrophylla, Desf. Moreton Bay Fio. Lvs. 6-10 in. long, 3-4 in. wide; stipules 2-4 in. long: fr. nearly globular, 9-12 lines thick, axillary, in 3's or 4's, on short, thick peduncles. Austral.—Much planted in S. and Cent. Calif., where, however, it ................seed. F. von Mueller says it is perhaps ......of Australian avenue trees. Ernest ........... for this species partial or perhaps ............from frost. He cites a specimen in ..........out after a heavy frost and is still.......more than a year has elapsed since ........ | + | {{Inc| |
| + | |||
| + | Ficus macrophylla, Desf. Moreton Bay Fio. Lvs. 6-10 in. long, 3-4 in. wide; stipules 2-4 in. long: fr. nearly globular, 9-12 lines thick, axillary, in 3's or 4's, on short, thick peduncles. Austral.—Much planted in S. and Cent. Calif., where, however, it ................seed. F. von Mueller says it is perhaps ......of Australian avenue trees. Ernest ........... for this species partial or perhaps ............from frost. He cites a specimen in ..........out after a heavy frost and is still.......more than a year has elapsed since ........ | ||
| + | |||
| + | }}<br> | ||
{{Taxobox | {{Taxobox | ||
| Line 18: | Line 22: | ||
}} The '''Moreton Bay Fig''' ''Ficus macrophylla'', is a large evergreen [[Banyan]]. Named after [[Moreton Bay]] in [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], it is a native of most of the eastern coast, from the [[Atherton Tableland]] in the north to the [[Illawarra]] in [[New South Wales]]. | }} The '''Moreton Bay Fig''' ''Ficus macrophylla'', is a large evergreen [[Banyan]]. Named after [[Moreton Bay]] in [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], it is a native of most of the eastern coast, from the [[Atherton Tableland]] in the north to the [[Illawarra]] in [[New South Wales]]. | ||
| − | == Description == | + | == Description == |
[[Image:Ficus macrophylla017.jpg|thumb|left]]The Moreton Bay Fig grows to over 60 m (200 ft) tall in its native environment. It has large, elliptic, leathery, dark green leaves and produces a [barely] edible fruit similar to the common [[Fig]], ''Ficus carica''. | [[Image:Ficus macrophylla017.jpg|thumb|left]]The Moreton Bay Fig grows to over 60 m (200 ft) tall in its native environment. It has large, elliptic, leathery, dark green leaves and produces a [barely] edible fruit similar to the common [[Fig]], ''Ficus carica''. | ||
| Line 28: | Line 32: | ||
Its roots are surface feeding and it is therefore quite susceptible to the compacting of earth around its trunk, which is why in many parks and gardens these trees are fenced off. It is water hungry and like many Australian trees should not be planted in urban environments where its roots may damage piping, nor in areas where water is scarce. | Its roots are surface feeding and it is therefore quite susceptible to the compacting of earth around its trunk, which is why in many parks and gardens these trees are fenced off. It is water hungry and like many Australian trees should not be planted in urban environments where its roots may damage piping, nor in areas where water is scarce. | ||
| − | == A potentially invasive species == | + | == A potentially invasive species == |
[[Image:MoretonBayNaturalisedNZ.jpg|thumb|left]]''Ficus macrophylla'' is commonly cultivated in [[Hawaii]] and in northern [[New Zealand]]. In both places, it has now naturalised, having acquired its pollinating wasp (''[[Pleistodontes froggatti]]''). In Hawaii the wasp was deliberately introduced in 1921, and in New Zealand it was first recorded in 1993, having apparently arrived by long-distance dispersal from Australia. The arrival of the wasp led to prolific production of fruits containing many small seeds adapted for dispersal by birds. The Moreton Bay Fig has been found growing on both native and introduced trees in New Zealand and in Hawaii. The size and vigour of this fig in New Zealand, and its lack of natural enemies, as well as its immunity to [[Common Brushtail Possum|possum]] browsing, indicate that it may be able to invade forest and other native plant communities. (Gardner and Early 1996; Starr et al., 2003). | [[Image:MoretonBayNaturalisedNZ.jpg|thumb|left]]''Ficus macrophylla'' is commonly cultivated in [[Hawaii]] and in northern [[New Zealand]]. In both places, it has now naturalised, having acquired its pollinating wasp (''[[Pleistodontes froggatti]]''). In Hawaii the wasp was deliberately introduced in 1921, and in New Zealand it was first recorded in 1993, having apparently arrived by long-distance dispersal from Australia. The arrival of the wasp led to prolific production of fruits containing many small seeds adapted for dispersal by birds. The Moreton Bay Fig has been found growing on both native and introduced trees in New Zealand and in Hawaii. The size and vigour of this fig in New Zealand, and its lack of natural enemies, as well as its immunity to [[Common Brushtail Possum|possum]] browsing, indicate that it may be able to invade forest and other native plant communities. (Gardner and Early 1996; Starr et al., 2003). | ||
| − | == References == | + | == References == |
[[Image:Ficus macrophylla011.jpg|thumb|right]] | [[Image:Ficus macrophylla011.jpg|thumb|right]] | ||
Revision as of 05:38, 10 August 2009
Read about Ficus macrophylla in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
|
|---|
|
The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text. |
| Moreton Bay Fig | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig) | ||||||||||||||
| Plant Info | ||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers. | ||||||||||||||
The Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla, is a large evergreen Banyan. Named after Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia, it is a native of most of the eastern coast, from the Atherton Tableland in the north to the Illawarra in New South Wales.
Description
The Moreton Bay Fig grows to over 60 m (200 ft) tall in its native environment. It has large, elliptic, leathery, dark green leaves and produces a [barely] edible fruit similar to the common Fig, Ficus carica.
The characteristic "melting" appearance of the Moreton Bay fig is due to its habit of dropping Aerial roots from its branches which on reaching the ground thicken into supplementary trunks which help to support the great weight of its crown.
It is a rainforest plant and in this environment more often grows in the form of an Epiphytic strangler vine than that of a tree. When its seeds land in the branch of a host tree it sends aerial, 'strangler' roots down the host trunk, eventually killing the host and standing alone.
Its roots are surface feeding and it is therefore quite susceptible to the compacting of earth around its trunk, which is why in many parks and gardens these trees are fenced off. It is water hungry and like many Australian trees should not be planted in urban environments where its roots may damage piping, nor in areas where water is scarce.
A potentially invasive species
Ficus macrophylla is commonly cultivated in Hawaii and in northern New Zealand. In both places, it has now naturalised, having acquired its pollinating wasp (Pleistodontes froggatti). In Hawaii the wasp was deliberately introduced in 1921, and in New Zealand it was first recorded in 1993, having apparently arrived by long-distance dispersal from Australia. The arrival of the wasp led to prolific production of fruits containing many small seeds adapted for dispersal by birds. The Moreton Bay Fig has been found growing on both native and introduced trees in New Zealand and in Hawaii. The size and vigour of this fig in New Zealand, and its lack of natural enemies, as well as its immunity to possum browsing, indicate that it may be able to invade forest and other native plant communities. (Gardner and Early 1996; Starr et al., 2003).
References
- George, A. S. Flora of Australia, CSIRO Publishing, 1980. ISBN 0-643-05702-1
- Starr F, Starr K, and Loope L. Ficus macrophylla - Moreton bay fig - Moraceae United States Geological Survey--Biological Resources Division Haleakala Field Station, Maui, Hawai'i, 2003.
- Jousselin E., Rasplus J. and Kjellberg F. Convergence and coevolution in a mutualism: evidence from a molecular phylogeny of Ficus. Evolution, 57(6), 2003, pp. 1255–1269
- Dixon, D. J. 2001. Figs, wasps and species concepts: a re-evaluation of the infraspecific taxa of Ficus macrophylla (Moraceae: Urostigma sect. Malvanthera). Austral. Syst. Bot. 14:125–132.
- Gardner R.O., Early J.W. The naturalisation of banyan figs (Ficus spp., Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) in New Zealand New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1996, Vol. 34: 103-110
External links
- Ficus macrophylla - Gallery {{PD}}
- Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): Ficus macrophylla
- National Tropical Botanical Garden: Ficus macrophylla
- Template:Es Arboles ornamentales: Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers.
