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Ficus rubiginosa

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A large tree by M. Ritter, J. Yost, J. Reimer and C. Stubler, Calpoly.edu.


The fruits from ConsultaPlantas.com.

Author: René Louiche Desfontaines, 1803
Family:  MORACEAE
Origin:  North-Eastern Australia
Soil:  Rich - Rocks
Water:  Maximum
Sun:  Medium
Thickness:  150 Centimetres
Height:  30 Metres
Flower:  Green
Propagate:  Seeds/Cuttings
Names:  The Port Jackson Fig, Little-leaf Fig, Rusty Fig
Synonyms:  Ficus australis Willd.
Ficus baileyana
Domin
Ficus ferruginea
Desf.
Ficus ferruginea,
Miq.
Ficus fulva
Kunth & C.D.Bouché
Ficus leichhardtii,
Miq.
Ficus leichhardtii
var. angustata, Miq.
Ficus macrophylla
var. pubescens, F.M.Bailey.
Ficus muelleri,
Miq.
Ficus novae-walliae,
Dum.Cours.
Ficus obliqua
var. petiolaris, Corner.
Ficus platypoda
var. leichhardtii, R.J.F.Hend.
Ficus platypoda
var. mollis, Benth.
Ficus platypoda
var. petiolaris, Benth.
Ficus platypoda
var. subacuminata, Benth.
Ficus rubiginosa
var. glabrescens, F.M.Bailey.
Ficus rubiginosa f. glabrescens,
D.J.Dixon.
Ficus rubiginosa
var. lucida, Maiden.
Ficus shirleyana,
Domin.
Mastosuke rubiginosa.
Raf.
Perula rubiginosa,
Raf.
Urostigma ferrugineum,
Miq.
Urostigma leichhardtii,
Miq.
Urostigma muelleri,
Miq.
Urostigma rubiginosum,
Gasp.

This member of the Moraceae family was given this name by René Louiche Desfontaines in 1803. It is found from north Queensland southwards along the eastern coastline  to the south coast of New South Wales, growing in anything, even as epiphyte, with quite some water and little to lots of sun. The stem tend to slim up by age, but it can reach a meter and a half in diameter. The tree can grow to 30 meters height. The tiny, green flowers are pollinated by a symbiotic relationship with a fig gall wasp species; Pleistodontes imperialis, which lays its eggs in the fruits. It is a real easy plant to make cuttings.

Subspecies and variations: Ficus rubiginosa var. glabrescens F.M. Bailey, Ficus rubiginosa var. lucida Maiden 

The genera name originates from the old Latin name for Ficus carica which was from the Persian word fica. The species name related to the rusty coloration of the undersides of the leaves.


The leaves.