Fig tree of bay of Moreton

The fig tree of bay of Moreton ( Ficus macrophylla ) is large a Arbre with persistent foliage of the family of the Moraceae of origin Australia.

Description

The Ficus macrophylla in its natural habitat presents nap a large-sized tree, which can reach 60 meters in height.

It is a typical plant of the rain forests which, in these mediums, often develops in the form of Climbing plant parasite. Indeed, when it germinates on the branch of a tree, it propagates its roots around the trunk of its host, chokes it and ends by killing it and taking its place.

The aspect impressive, characteristic of the Ficus macrophylla , is due to the development of its ramified air roots, of support, which join the ground and are transformed into as many additional trunks; pillars which support the maintenance of the weight of the summit part of the tree. These roots constitute moreover surfaces of absorption and the tree is thus rather sensitive to the compactness of the ground around the trunk, as that occurs when it is in enclosure, apart from the parks and gardens. Being an avid water plant, like much of other Australian species, it should not be planted in urban environment, because its roots are likely to destroy the water pipelines, nor in the zones low in water.
The Feuille S are broad, oval-elliptic, coriaces and of color dark green, brilliant with their higher face, silver plated on their lower face, long from 10 to 25 cm.

The Fruit is a Sycone edible, similar to 2 cm length that of the common fig tree ( Ficus carica ), of ovoid form and approximately, of green color becoming purplished with spots yellow-green with maturity. It is produced only by the adult trees which pushed in the open air; in general, they develop per pairs.

Distribution

The species is originating in the States Australia NS of the Queensland and News-Wales of the South. The common noun of fig tree of bay of Moreton ( Moreton Bay Fig ) comes to him from the Australian bay éponyme. In this area of Eastern Australia, the average temperature oscillates around 20-30°C in January and of 10-20°C in July.

This tree is cultivated and was naturalized in New Zealand, with Hawaii, in California and Florida. However, in these areas, the individuals never reach same dimensions as in their original habitat.

Propagation

Pollination

The fruit (Sycone or fig) and the system of reproduction have common characteristics with those of the other species of the kind Ficus .

Each species of Ficus is pledged with a specific Hyménoptère pollinating and reciprocally each one of these hyménoptères lays its eggs only in the fruits of a particular species of ficus. The specific hyménoptère of the Ficus macrophylla is the Pleistodontes froggatti .

Dissemination

Among the Oiseau X which were announced as disseminators of this species of Ficus appear the House sparrow ( Passer domesticus ), l' Acridotheres tristis tristis , the Geopelia striata , the Streptopelia chinensis and the Zosterops japonicus . Other animals like the bats, the Porcine S, the Rodent S, the Parrot S and the Singe S are also potential disseminators.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are known:

Ficus macrophylla subsp. macrophylla , formerly classified like Ficus platypoda VAr. etiolaris (Benth)
Ficus macrophylla subsp. columnaris (C.Moore & F.Muell.), formerly classified like Ficus magnolioides (Borzì)

Curiosity

In the Botanical garden of Palermo, at the beginning of the XXe century, Antonio Borzì the latex Ficus macrophylla subsp studied. columnaris that he regarded as a possible source of rubber. But although the specimens of this species produced great quantity of latex, the chemical analyzes carried out showed that the content of elastic rubber was insufficient.

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