Ficus opposita

Ficus opposita is one of several fig species commonly known as sandpaper figs. It is native to the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia.Other common names include sweet sandpaper fig,[1] sweet fig[1] and the ambiguous "figwood" and "watery fig".[2]

Sweet sandpaper fig
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Subgenus: F. subg. Sycidium
Species:
F. opposita
Binomial name
Ficus opposita
Synonyms
  • Ficus aculeata var. micracantha (Miq.) Benth.
  • Ficus aculeata Miq.
  • Ficus apolepomena Summerh.
  • Ficus branderhorstii Diels
  • Ficus conjugata Miq.
  • Ficus fitzalanii Miq.
  • Ficus micracantha Miq.
  • Ficus opposita var. micracantha (Miq.) Corner
  • Ficus orbicularis A.Cunn. ex Miq.
  • Ficus xerophila Domin
  • Ficus yarrabensis Domin

It grows as either a shrub or small tree.[1] As the figs ripen, their colour changes from green to yellow to reddish-brown and finally, to black.[1] The fruit is edible and palatable, tastier than most other fig species.[3]

It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the Queensland butterfly the common- or purple moonbeam (Philiris innotatus).[4]

The leaves on this plant can treat skin infections such as tinea.

Shown to hybridise with Ficus coronulata.[5]

References
  1. Low, T. (1991). Wild Food Plants Of Australia. Australia: Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0-207-16930-6.
  2. "Ficus opposita". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  3. Lindsay, Lenore (March 1992). "Fancy a feast? Try a fig". Australian Plants. 16 (130): 251–52.
  4. Braby, Michael F. (2005). The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 0-643-09027-4.
  5. Wilde, Brendan C.; Rutherford, Susan; Merwe, Marlien van der; Murray, Megan L.; Rossetto, Maurizio (15 July 2020). "First example of hybridisation between two Australian figs (Moraceae)". Australian Systematic Botany. 33 (5): 436–445. doi:10.1071/SB19048. ISSN 1446-5701.


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