Ficus tettensis

Hutch.

Rock fig, Small-leaved rock fig

Moraceae Edible: Fruit 111 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A small sturdy fig. It is a shrub. It grows up to 5-7 m high. The bark is white or very pale grey. The stem and roots are often plastered over the rock face. The leaves are small and kidney shaped. They are 2-5 cm long. They are densely velvety. Underneath is pale grey. The base of lobed and the edges are wavy. The leaf stalk is 2.5 cm long. The figs are 10 mm across and hairy. They occur singly or in pairs in the axils of leaves. They are green to reddish when ripe.

Edible Uses

The figs are edible.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It occurs on and in rocks. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,310 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa,West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

The pollinator wasp is Nigeriella excavata Compton.

Notes

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

Synonyms

Ficus smutsii Vendoorn.

Also Known As

Ibozane, Inkiwanyane, Mudohonya, Umkululu, Umpayamputsane

References (7)

Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 116
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 4th May 2011]
Schmidt, E., Lotter, M., & McCleland, W., 2007, Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Jacana Media p 84
Tredgold, M.H., 1986, Food Plants of Zimbabwe. Mambo Press. p 101
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Show all 7 references