Ficus asperifolia

Ficus asperifolia is a species of shrub or small sized gynodioecious fig tree belonging to the family Moraceae.[1][2] It grows up to 6 m high and often has climbing branches.[3]

Ficus asperifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Species:
F. asperifolia
Binomial name
Ficus asperifolia
Miq.
Synonyms
List
  • Ficus acutifolia Hutch.
  • Ficus cnestrophylla Warb.
  • Ficus colpophylla Warb.
  • Ficus irumuensis De Wild.
  • Ficus manicariarum Standl.
  • Ficus paludicola Warb.
  • Ficus pendula Welw. ex Hiern
  • Ficus scolopophora Warb.
  • Ficus storthophylla Warb.
  • Ficus storthophylla var. cuneata De Wild.
  • Ficus urceolaris Welw. ex Hiern
  • Ficus urceolaris var. bumbana Hiern
  • Ficus warburgii H.J.P.Winkl.
  • Ficus xiphophora Warb.

Description

Leaves of the species are elliptical to obovate in shape, up to 20 cm long and 8 cm wide, apex is long and acuminate while base is cuneate to obtusely rounded.[4] Leaves commonly have stipules; petiole is up to 1 cm long and margin tends to be lobed or dentate.[4] Peduncles, 2-15 mm long, the figs are orange to purplish red, up to 2 cm in diameter and globular in shape; figs are sometimes paired or single on leaf axils.[4][5]

Distribution and habitat

Ficus asperifolia occurs in Senegal westwards to Sudan and Kenya and southwards to Zambia.[1] It is found in savannahs and edges of gallery forests.[5]

Uses

In Cameroon dried fruit of the species are used in traditional medine to treate infertility,[1] extracts of the species are also used to aid the wound healing process.

References

  1. Watcho, Pierre; Meli Watio, Hermine; Wankeu-Nya, Modeste; Ngadjui, Esther; Deeh Defo, Patrick; Nkeng-Efouet, Pepin Alango; Nguelefack, Telesphore Benoit; Kamanyi, Albert (2017). "Androgenic effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ficus asperifolia in male Wistar rats". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 17 (1). doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1547-5. ISSN 1472-6882. PMC 5237287. PMID 28086774.
  2. Verkerke ,W. ,L987(a). Ovule dimorphism in ficus asperifolia Miquel . Acta Bot.Neer-I . 36: L2L-L24
  3. Beentje, H. J. (1988). "Fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) of Kenya". Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum. 76 (198): 53โ€“76.
  4. Ndolo Ebika, S. T.; Morgan, D.; Sanz, C.; Harris, D. J. (2018-08-09). "FICUS SPECIES IN THE SANGHA TRINATIONAL, CENTRAL AFRICA". Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 75 (3): 377โ€“420. doi:10.1017/S0960428618000173. ISSN 1474-0036.
  5. Arbonnier, Michel; Arbonnier, Michel (2004). Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD. Weikersheim: Margraf Publ. pp. 397โ€“400. ISBN 978-3-8236-1419-7.
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