Ficus sansibarica

The Ficus sansibarica, known as knobbly fig, is an African species of cauliflorous fig. It is named after Zanzibar, where Franz Stuhlmann discovered it in 1889.^[3] They often begin life as epiphytes, which assume a strangling habit as they develop.^[4] They regularly reach 10 m, but may grow up to 40 m tall as forest stranglers.^[2]

Knobbly fig
The nominate subsp. in the Kruger Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Moraceae
Genus:	Ficus
Species:	F. sansibarica
Binomial name
Ficus sansibarica Warb. 1894
Synonyms[1]
F. brachylepis Welw. ex Hiern F. delagoensis T. R. Sim F. gossweileri Hutch.[2] F. langenburgii Warb. F. ugandensis Hutch. F. zanzibarica Boeck. ex Engl.

Range and habitat

It occurs in the African tropics and subtropics from coastal elevations to 900 m above sea level.^[5] The nominate subspecies has an easterly distribution, but extends westwards up the Zambezi Valley.^[6]

They are found in coastal, riverine and evergreen forests or woodland, and in miombo woodlands. They are locally cultivated in parks,^[6] villages^[4] or bush camps. They prefer deep sandy soil and often start life as a strangler.^[7][8] The pollinating wasp is Courtella armata.^[5]

Description

The light grey bark is fairly smooth, though lumpy and folded.^[2] The smooth leaves are up to 13 cm long and oblong-obovate.^[8] They have parallel sides and are carried on slender petioles.^[2]

The large (up to 5 cm), bitter-tasting figs appear in groups of 2 or 3 during the summer months.^[2] They are cauliflorous, growing on the characteristic wart-like, leafless branchlets on the trunk and main branches (i.e. old wood).^[7]

F. chirindensis of the forests of southeastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique is similar, but has the leaves more oval, often has buttress roots,^[7] and bears the small (1.5 cm) figs in stalked pairs on second year branches.^[2]

Uses

The raw figs are used for food, and are locally believed to promote fertility. Stems are torn apart to obtain fibers for basket weaving.^[4] Locally it is also deemed sacred.

Subspecies and status

• F. s. subsp. sansibarica – East Africa: southern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northeastern South Africa and Eswatini
• F. s. subsp. macrosperma (Warb. ex Mildbr. & Burret) C.C.Berg – West and Central Africa: Senegal to DRC, Uganda and Angola

The species is deemed critically endangered in Eswatini, where most are located in proposed sugar cane expansion areas near Sihoye.^[9] On Inhaca Island however, it is held sacred by most communities, and is scrupulously protected.^[3]

Gallery

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  Foliage
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  Figs on wart-like branchlets
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  Figs carried on spurs