Ficus sur

Ficus sur, with the common names Cape fig and broom cluster fig, is a widespread Afrotropical species of cauliflorous fig.

Description

A fig. This tree varies in form. It can be a small tree up to 6 m tall in dry places or a large spreading tree up to 12-24 m tall in forest. It normally loses its leaves for a short period. The bark is smooth and brownish grey. It has a thick trunk and shallow spreading roots. The leaves are alternate and leathery. They are oval with a pointed tip. The leaves are 10 cm long by 3 cm wide. They can be 23 cm long by 13 cm wide. They are red when young becoming green when mature. They are smooth and sometimes slightly hairy underneath. The leaf stalks are long and with a furrow on the upper surface. Twigs and leaves have milky juice. There are only a few small male flower near the opening of the fig and many female flowers. The fig is pollinated by a small wasp. The figs are roughly round and about 2-4 cm across. They have a prominent opening at the end. They are reddish-yellow when ripe. They hang from the trunk and old main branches. The pulp is sweet. Many figs form one long bunch.

Edible Uses

The figs are edible and utilized in fresh or dried form by native people in many regions. They are also suited to preparation of fig preserve, if other suitable fruit are added. The heavily clustered figs suggest fecundity, and some trees in East Africa have been venerated as sacred shrines in animist practices. The wood is light and soft, and is not much used commercially.

Traditional Uses

The ripe figs are edible but often infected with insects. They can be eaten raw. The seeds are removed. The fruit are eaten in porridge. They can be used for jam or preserves. They can be dried. The young leaves are cooked and eaten. The roots above the ground are eaten when young. The bark is chewed with cola nuts to reduce thirst.

Medicinal Uses

All parts may exude a latex, which has some traditional medicinal plant uses. The latex has been shown to contain ursene and oleanane triterpenoids, of which the latter may be effective in cancer treatment, while a methanolic extract from the roots is potentially effective against chloroquine-resistant malaria.

Known Hazards

Although used medicinally, the plant contains toxic substances - both root and bark decoctions are recorded to have caused death. The latex and decoctions of the twig and leaf are recorded as being used for arrow poison, and the plant has been used for criminal poisoning. The wood is recorded as causing dermatitis in workers handling it.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It occurs from sea level to 1600 m altitude. It can be up to 2,100 m. It occurs in areas where the rainfall is 700-1200 mm. It grows in the Sahel. It grows in wet soils. It usually grows near streams. It cannot tolerate cold. It can be grown in sun but is best in shade. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Middle East, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants normally grow naturally from seed. The seeds are very fine. They can be grown from cuttings. Stem cuttings can be treated with rooting hormone. It can be cut back and will re-grow. The pollinator wasps are Ceratosolen capensis, Ceratosolen flabellatus and Ceratosolen silvestrianus.

Propagation

Seed - germinates best at a temperature around 20°c. The seed should be sown on a fine medium and remain uncovered. They germinate in 15 - 20 days. Seedlings are ready for planting out in the open when they are 1 metre tall. Air layering. Tip cuttings around 4 - 12cm long, taken from lateral branches. Plant in moist sand.

Other Uses

A latex obtained from the plant is used to make balls. The rough-textured leaves are used as a sandpaper. The inner bark is used to make rope and cloth. The bark contains tannins and yields a brown dye. Small pieces of wood are used as firesticks to ignite fire by friction. The heartwood is white or yellow and not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. The wood is not durable, it is porous and lightweight, soft, brittle and not strong. The grain is straight or interlocked, texture moderately coarse to coarse. The wood has a sweet smell when green. It is slightly sticky when freshly sawn due to the latex. The wood is easy to saw, although the presence of the latex may cause clogging of saw blades. Nailing and screwing usually do not cause problems, although the nail and screw holding capacity may be poor. Gluing, painting and varnishing give good results. The peeling characteristics are good. It is used locally for construction, furniture, mortars for grinding flour, kitchen utensils, pots, boxes, beer troughs, drums and beehives. It is also suitable for sporting goods, agricultural implements, hardboard and particle board. It was formerly used for making brake blocks and bed boards for ox wagons. Wood from the branches is made into knife-handles. The wood is also used as fuel wood. The tree is used in hedges. Grown as a shade tree for coffee. The tree is considered to trap moisture, and other moisture-demanding plants are often found regenerating in its shade. It does not compete with agricultural crops.

Production

Trees are quick growing. Fruit are usually collected at the end of the rainy season. They are harvested by climbing the trees. A fruit weighs about 12 g.

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children. It is a commonly used food in West Africa.

Notes

There are about 800-1000 Ficus species. They are mostly in the tropics. There are 120 Ficus species in tropical America.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Anaque, Besemtrosvy, Blata, Boboch, Bucune, Buncuncul, Bush fig, Canhama, Catchocodo, Charo, Culucumbua, Cuncre, Cungre, Defay, Dullu, Eboborei, Edulo, Edurokai, Elisho, Emidit, Essa, Figueira, Gangnihamalim, Harbu, Heleta, Ikubila, Ikuwu, Inkwane, Intonkindja, Kabalira, Kabalira, Kibuu, Kode, Likwani, Makovo, Mbolo, Misombe, Mkuu, Mkuyu, Mkwane, Mogo, Mouwane, Mphai, Mtundu, Muchowana, Mugalangafhasi, Muhuyulukuse, Mukankanwamimu, Mukiwa, Mukowana, Mukugu, mu-Kuyu, Mukuyu, Muonde, Muvonde, Muwande, N'cungre, Nkuwa, N'tankindja, Nwadua, Oda, Odakko, Oduru, Okpoto, Ol-ngaboli, Omulelehe, Opoto, Sema, Semo, Sere toro, Shola, Tcheque, Tchequedje, Tonkin-ia, Tonquinha, Tumbli, Tur, Turo, Umkhiwane, Umkhwane, Umkiwa, Umkiwane, Uncugne, Uncungre, Uwar yara, Womseega

References (113)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 47 (As Ficus capensis)
• Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.
• Acipa, A. et al, 2013, Nutritional Profile of some Selected Food Plants of Otwal and Ngai Counties, Oyam District, Northern Uganda. African Journal or Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 13(2)
• Addis, G., et al, 2005, Ethnobotanical Study of Edible Wild Plants in Some Selected Districts of Ethiopia. Human Ecology, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 83-118
• Addis, G., Asfaw, Z & Woldu, Z., 2013, Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 11:121-141

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