CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

FIG / GULAR

Ficus racemosa L.

Botanical name	: Ficus racemosa L.
Synonym	: Ficus glomerata Roxb.
Vernacular name	: Fig / Gular
Family	: Moraceae
About the Tree	: A medium-sized to large deciduous, sometimes evergreen tree with spreading crown and white latex. This is native to Australasia, South-East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
Height	: Up to 25-30 m tall.
Bark	: Surface reddish-brown or yellowish-brown smooth, coarsely flaky, and is 8-10 mm thick.
Leaf	: Leaves simple, alternate, stipules 12-18 mm long, petiole 10-50 mm long, slender, grooved above, lamina 6-15 x 3.5-6 cm, ovate, obovate, elliptic-oblong, elliptic-lanceolate, base acute, obtuse or cuneate, apex narrowed, blunt or acute, margin entire.
Flower	: Male, female and gall flowers enclosed within same globose figs. Cauliflorus, greenish-white when young, ripened ones purplish-red .Male flowers, near apical pore, sessile, calyx lobes 3 or 4, stamens 2. Gall flowers, long stalked and female flowers sessile or very shortly stalked, pedicellate, calyx lobes linear, apex 3- or 4-toothed, style lateral, stigma clavate.
Fruits	: Achene granulate.
Season	: Leaf Fall occurs from August to November. Flowering time is in the months of January to April and fruiting occurs between March and July.
Medicinal Properties Peculiar Character	: The bark of the tree is said to have healing power. In countries like India, the bark is rubbed on a stone with water to make a paste and the paste is applied over the skin which is afflicted by boils or mosquito bites. : It is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk. Fruits dispersed with the help of mammals, birds.(Passed through the alimentary canals)