Ficus sur

{{Short description|Species of fig}} {{Speciesbox |name = Cape fig |image = Ficus sur, volgroeid, Louwsburg.jpg |image2 = Ficus sur, ryp vyetros, b, Louwsburg.jpg |image2_caption = |genus = Ficus |species = sur |authority = Forssk. 1775 |synonyms = * ''Ficus capensis'' Thunb.<ref group = note>The presence of two stamens per flower, rather than one, was found to be an inconsistent characteristic, see: {{cite journal|last = Aweke|first = Getachew|title = A Revision of the Genus ''Ficus'' in Ethiopia|journal = Meded. Landb. Wag.|year = 1979|volume = 793|issue = 66}}</ref> * ''Ficus guineensis'' (Miq.) Stapf * ''Ficus ituriensis'' De Wild. * ''Ficus mallotocarpa'' Warb.<ref group = note>A subtropical form with shaggy figs that ranges from Tanzania to northern South Africa, ''cf.'' Berg, C.C. (1991) and {{cite book |last = Palmer |first = Eve |authorlink = Eve Palmer|title = A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa |pages = 91–92 | year = 1977 |publisher = Collins |location = London, Johannesburg |isbn = 0-620-05468-9}}</ref> * ''Ficus riparia'' (Miq.) A.Rich. * ''Ficus thonningiana'' (Miq.) Miq.<ref name = zam>{{cite journal |last = Berg |first = C.C. |title = Moraceae: ''Ficus sur'' Forssk. |journal = Flora Zambesiaca |year = 1991 |volume = 9 |issue = 6 |url = http://apps.kew.org/efloras/namedetail.do?flora=fz&taxon=57&nameid=245 |accessdate = 3 January 2013}}</ref><ref name = tpl>{{cite web |title = ''Ficus sur'' Forssk., Synonyms |url = http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2812498 |work = ThePlantList |publisher = |accessdate = 31 December 2012}}</ref> |range_map = Ficus sur distribution.png |range_map_caption = {{legend0|#CF1E1E| range of ''F. sur''}} }}

'''''Ficus sur''''', with the common names '''Cape fig''' and '''broom cluster fig''',<ref group = note>The etymology of the specific name is unclear. It may be of Arabic origin and suggest Sur, Oman, where it is not native.</ref> is a widespread Afrotropical species of cauliflorous fig.

==Distribution== The tree is found from Cape Verde and Senegambia across tropical West Africa to Cameroon and the Central African Republic; eastwards to Eritrea, northern Somalia and Yemen; and southwards through all tropical eastern and southern African countries. It is not found in Lesotho or the dry interior regions of Botswana, Namibia, or South Africa.<ref name=apd/>

It is found in tropical forests and grassy woodlands, and occurs in higher densities within well-watered, temperate upland habitats.<ref name=kcp/> It is absent or outnumbered at lower, warmer climates by the similarly cauliflorous species, ''Ficus sycomorus''. In cooler climates it is a coastal tree, and in warmer interior climates may be found up to {{convert|2500|m|ft}} in elevation.<ref name=zam/><ref name=apd/><ref name=fz/>

Over its extensive range it is variable with respect to leaf shape, texture of the leaves and figs, deciduousness and overall size.<ref name=zam/>

==Description== [[file:Denkschriften der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften - Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe (1858) (20665373299), Ficus sur.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Nature printed leaf, showing shape and venation]] ''Ficus sur'' is a fast-growing, deciduous or evergreen tree.<ref name=fvb>{{cite book |last=Von Breitenbach |first=F. |title=Southern Cape Tree Guide |year=1985 |publisher=Dept. of Environment Affairs: Forestry |location=Pretoria |isbn=0-621-09741-1}}</ref> It usually grows from {{convert|5|-|12|m|ft}} in height, but may attain a height of {{convert|35|-|40|m|ft}}.<ref name=apd>{{cite web |title=''Ficus sur'' Forssk. |url=http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=24149 |work=African Plant Database |publisher=CJB & SANBI |accessdate=1 January 2013}}</ref><ref name=kcp>{{cite book |last=Palgrave |first=K.C. |title=Trees of Southern Africa |year=1984 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=0-86977-081-0 |page=105}}</ref><ref name=plantz>{{cite web |last=Hankey |first=Andrew (2003) |title=Ficus sur |url=http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/ficussur.htm |work=Plants of SA |publisher=PlantZAfrica.com |accessdate=31 December 2012}}</ref> Large specimens develop a massive spreading crown,<ref name=plantz/> fluted trunks, and buttress roots.<ref name = fvb/><ref name=fz>{{cite web |title=''Ficus sur'' Forssk. |url=http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=120400 |work=Flora of Zimbabwe |accessdate=31 December 2012}}</ref>

The large, alternate and spirally arranged leaves are ovate to elliptic with irregularly serrated margins.<ref name=fz/> Fresh foliage is a conspicuous red colour and the papery, 1 cm long stipules are soon dropped.<ref name=kcp/> The bark of younger trees is smooth and pale greyish-white in colour, in contrast to the flaky, yellow bark of ''F. sycomorus''. With increasing age the bark becomes darker and rough.<ref name=fvb/>

The figs are carried on short or long drooping spurs (or fascicles) which may emerge from surface roots, the trunk or especially from lower main branches.<ref name=zam/><ref name=kcp/><ref name=plantz/> The figs are 2–4 cm in diameter<ref name=zam/><ref name=iziko>{{cite web |last=Van Noort |title=''Ficus sur'' Forsskål 1775 |url=http://www.figweb.org/Ficus/Subgenus_Sycomorus/Section_Sycomorus/Subsection_Sycomorus/Ficus_sur.htm |work=Figweb |publisher=iziko museums |accessdate=31 December 2012 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125052231/http://www.figweb.org/Ficus/Subgenus_Sycomorus/Section_Sycomorus/Subsection_Sycomorus/Ficus_sur.htm |archivedate=25 January 2012 }}</ref> and acquire a rosy, speckled exterior when ripe.

The fig seeds are dispersed after passing through the intestinal tracts of birds, bats, and primates.<ref name=plantz/><ref name=iziko/>

===Species associations=== [[Image:Adult female and infant wild chimpanzees feeding on Ficus sur.jpeg|thumb|right|280px|Eastern chimpanzees, feeding on ''Ficus sur'' fruit in Kibale National Park, Uganda]] Lepidopteran larvae of the African map butterfly,<ref name=fz/> fig tree moth,<ref name=am>{{cite web|last=Goff |first=Roy |title=''Naroma varipes'', (Walker, 1865) |url=http://www.africanmoths.com/pages/LYMANTRIIDAE/LYMANTRIIDAE/naroma%20varipes.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215121627/http://www.africanmoths.com/pages/LYMANTRIIDAE/LYMANTRIIDAE/naroma%20varipes.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 February 2013 |work=African Moths |accessdate=21 January 2013 }}</ref> accented hawk moth,<ref name=fz/> specious tiger,<ref name=iziko/> common fig-tree blue<ref name=iziko/> and lesser fig-tree blue<ref name=iziko/> feed on the leaves or roots of this species.

Pollination is performed by three species of ''Ceratosolen'' wasp.<ref name=iziko/><ref name=iziko2>{{cite web|last=Van Noort |title=''Ceratosolen capensis'' Grandi |url=http://www.figweb.org/Fig_wasps/Agaonidae/Kradibiinae/Ceratosolen/Ceratosolen_capensis.htm |work=Figweb |publisher=iziko museums |accessdate=1 January 2012 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714153412/http://www.figweb.org/Fig_wasps/Agaonidae/Kradibiinae/Ceratosolen/Ceratosolen_capensis.htm |archivedate=14 July 2014 }}</ref><ref name=foa/> The ''Ceratosolen'' wasps are parasitised by ''Apocrypta guineensis'' and ''Sycoscapter niger'' wasps during their larval development inside the flower galls. As of 2006, 19 species of fig wasp were known to associate with the Cape fig, these belonging to genera ''Acophila'', ''Apocrypta'', ''Apocryptophagus'', ''Ceratosolen'', ''Eukoebelea'', ''Idarnes'', ''Sycomacophila'', ''Sycophaga'', ''Sycophila'', ''Sycoscapter'' and ''Watshamiella''.<ref name=foa>{{cite journal |last=Van Noort |first=Simon |author2=Van Harten, Antonius |title=The species richness of fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae, Pteromalidae) in Yemen |journal=Fauna of Arabia |date=2006-12-18 |issue=22 |pages=449–472 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230600455 |accessdate=1 January 2013}}</ref> The Afrotropical fig wasp fauna is however poorly known.<ref name=foa/>

==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,<ref name=plantz/> if other suitable fruit are added.<ref name = kcp/>

The heavily clustered figs suggest fecundity, and some trees in East Africa have been venerated as sacred shrines in animist practices.<ref name=kcp/>

The wood is light and soft, and is not much used commercially.

===Traditional medicinal plant=== All parts may exude a latex, which has some traditional medicinal plant uses.<ref name=kcp/> The latex has been shown to contain ursene and oleanane triterpenoids,<ref>{{cite journal|last=Feleke |first=Sisay |author2=Brehane, Abeba |title=Triterpene compounds from the latex of ''Ficus sur'' I. |journal=Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia |year=2005 |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=307–310 |issn=1011-3924}}</ref> of which the latter may be effective in cancer treatment,<ref name=lansky>{{cite book |last=Lansky |first=E.P., Paavilainen, H.M. |title=Figs: The Genus Ficus |year=2011 |pages = 222, 230, 298 | publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4200-8967-7}}</ref> while a methanolic extract from the roots is potentially effective against chloroquine-resistant malaria.<ref name=lansky/>

==Gallery== <gallery mode=packed heights=160 style="font-size:100%; line-height:130%"> Image:Ficus sur, vars winterblare, Louwsburg.jpg|Fresh foliage tended by ''Crematogaster'' ants Image:Ficus sur 69922396.jpg|Drooping paniculate spur with fig clusters Image:Ceratosolen capensis op Ficus sur, Jan Celliers Park, a.jpg|''Ceratosolen capensis'' adult, a pollinating wasp Image:Apocrypta guineensis, volw-wyfie op F sur, Manie vd Schijff BT, l.jpg|''Apocrypta guineensis'' wasps, parasitoids of ''Ceratosolen capensis'' larvae </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist|26em}}

===Notes=== {{Reflist|group=note}}

==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Ficus sur}} {{WestAfricanPlants|Ficus sur}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q2484621}}

sur Category:Trees of Africa Category:Flora of the Afrotropical realm Category:Flora of Yemen Category:Plants described in 1775 Category:Plants used in traditional African medicine Category:Garden plants of Africa Category:Ornamental trees