Fius microcarpus

Fius microcarpus

Common names: Chinese banyan, Smallfruit fig 細葉榕(榕樹)

　

General description:

Leaf

Size 7 x 3.5 cm.

Leaf stalk
1 cm long

Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptical

Leaf apex suddenly narrowing to a short point, base tapering, is margin entire.

Texture is smooth, firm, veins inconspicuous.

　

Flower

Flowering period more or less continuously

Flower stalk stalkless

Size 1 cm across

Colour At first pale green with white spots finally passing through pink, red and purple to black.

Sex unisexual

Flowers are very simple, segments are enclosing either one stamen or a single-celled ovary.
Pollinated is entirely by the fig wasp. The female wasp lays her eggs in short-styled female flowers and the insect develops in the ovary of the flower. Male wasps emerge first and, having located galls with females within, bite a hole in the ovary wall and through it fertilizes the female wasp. When the female wasps emerge they become dusted with pollen from male flowers as they make their way out of the fig. they then find young figs which they enter to deposit eggs, in doing so they carry the pollen which will fertilize the long-styled female fig flower. In Chinese banyan figs contain male flowers, female flowers and gall flowers

Fruit

Trunk

Additional information

pH value of soil 8

Height 15 m

Remarks Large, wide-spreading, evergreen tree with numerous tassels of slender aerial roots hanging from the branches which on reaching the soil from new supporting trunks
Slow-growing

One of the most popular native trees in Hong Kong

Aerial roots

　

　

Size	7 x 3.5 cm.
Leaf stalk	1 cm long
Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptical Leaf apex suddenly narrowing to a short point, base tapering, is margin entire. Texture is smooth, firm, veins inconspicuous.

Flowering period	more or less continuously
Flower stalk	stalkless
Size	1 cm across
Colour	At first pale green with white spots finally passing through pink, red and purple to black.
Sex	unisexual
Flowers are very simple, segments are enclosing either one stamen or a single-celled ovary. Pollinated is entirely by the fig wasp. The female wasp lays her eggs in short-styled female flowers and the insect develops in the ovary of the flower. Male wasps emerge first and, having located galls with females within, bite a hole in the ovary wall and through it fertilizes the female wasp. When the female wasps emerge they become dusted with pollen from male flowers as they make their way out of the fig. they then find young figs which they enter to deposit eggs, in doing so they carry the pollen which will fertilize the long-styled female fig flower. In Chinese banyan figs contain male flowers, female flowers and gall flowers

pH value of soil	8
Height	15 m
Remarks	Large, wide-spreading, evergreen tree with numerous tassels of slender aerial roots hanging from the branches which on reaching the soil from new supporting trunks Slow-growing One of the most popular native trees in Hong Kong
Aerial roots