Ficus for ID : 100511 : AK-3

[Aarti S. Khale]

Taken at Jijamata Udyan, Mumbai, Maharashtra on the 7th of April, 2011.
A medium sized tree growing wild.
Aarti

[Dinesh Valke]

... this is Ficus hispida (syn. Ficus oppositifolia), the hairy fig.

Regards.
Dinesh

[ajinkya gadave]

yes this is ficus hispida 

[Dr Pankaj Kumar]

Opposite leaves - YES
Finely toothed margin - NO
Mature leaves hairy especially on veins below - NO
Twigs hollow when younger - !!
Figs ribbed - YES

Can anyone please clear my doubts on this!!

Pankaj

[Aarti S. Khale]

Dear Dinesh ji and Ajinkya ji,
Thanks for the id.
Aarti

On 5/10/11, ajinkya gadave <ajinky...@gmail.com> wrote:
> yes this is ficus hispida
>
> On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 5:40 PM, Dinesh Valke <dinesh...@gmail.com>wrote:
>

>> ... this is *Ficus hispida* (syn. *Ficus oppositifolia*), the hairy fig.

[Yazdy Palia]

I think the leaves are abrasive, am I right?
Regards
Yazdy.

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 5:11 PM, Aarti S. Khale <aarti...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Dinesh Valke]

Yazdi ji ... leaves of F. hispida are not abrasive ... the upper surface has minute coarse hairs, feels rough though not abrasive ... lower surface too is hairy, feels comparatively softer.
You may be referring to F. exasperata (syn. F. asperrima), the sandpaper fig, (tender OR) dried leaf of which can certainly cause abrasion.

Regards.
Dinesh

[Yazdy Palia]

Thank you Dinesh Ji for all the information. Regards.
Yazdy.

[H S]

Ficus hispida produces fruit also on the roots, young saplings may  show alternate leaves

 - H.S.

A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, - a mere heart of stone

[Gurcharan Singh]

One as a botanist should not think of flowers or fruits arising from roots. In so called stemless plants, the reduced stem elongates at the time of flowering into a scape which produces flowers.

In Ficus hispida the inflorescence (hypanthodium) and consequently the fruit (fig or syconus) arise from short branches which hang from main branches. They can't be called as roots.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006361

 http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200006361

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[H S]

Its just for the information of the people i quoted that the plant produces fruit on the roots too... its nothing to do anything about the botanist here, however any systematic botany student must know every character of the plant..

 

i can definately differentiate the hanging branches and the roots of the plants... so please accept that F. hispida produces inflorescence on the roots too...  whoever dont know...

 

--

[Gurcharan Singh]

Dear H S

It would help us all if you back up your statement with references that we can verify, like I had done by giving links to eFloras of Pakistan and China.

   We are all students of botany and should always go by logic. I have never heard of flowers and fruits from roots. I provided you references in support of my conclusion. It would be good if you also provide some references in support of yous.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[H S]

dear all, pls note that i never said it on aerial root....

[Dinesh Valke]

Many thanks Pankaj ... never knew about the fact that fruits rise from roots "on the ground" in case of Ficus semicordata.
Now understanding what HS is meaning to say that Ficus hispida produces fruits on the roots ... many thanks HS.

Regards.
Dinesh

 

On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 8:36 PM, Pankaj Kumar <sahani...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dinesh sir,
Ficus semicordata, I have seen stalks with figs coming out from the
root on the ground. Dont know of any other species.
Pankaj

***********************************************
"TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!"


Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae)
Research Associate
Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project
Department of Habitat Ecology
Wildlife Institute of India
Post Box # 18
Dehradun - 248001, India

[Pankaj Kumar]

Gurcharan sir,
Yes I know abt stalks coming from the lower part of main trunk which
is not very unsual for Ficus semicordata. But what I am talking about
is the root branches IN THE GROUND, when they spread up. I have seen
stalks coming from them. I was also very much surprised. I will see if
I have any such picture. Otherwise, I will request Mr. Hari Shankar
Lal, if he can drive uptill zoological garden in Ranchi (Ormanjhi) and
if the tree is still there, he would be able to send fresh pictures.
Its there on the right hand side of the enterance at around 50 m from
the main gate.

On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 9:41 PM, Gurcharan Singh <sing...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Let us not confuse shoots/branches with roots. About Ficus semicordata:
> This if from eFlora of China " Figs on pendulous, eventually prostrate,
> leafless branchlets, ± underground at maturity,"
> http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006371
> And this is from eFlora of Pakistan "Hypanthodia on 5-8 mm long peduncles,
> borne in pairs or clusters on long usually leafless, scaly branches borne
> from the trunk or main leafless branches"
> http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200006371
> The fruits may arise from branches or peduncles from underground branches,
> but as botanists we should not use term root in the same way we can't use
> term root for potato tuber, Alocasia corm or Ginger rhizome.
> The point under discussion is can fruits arise directly from roots or not.
> My botany says not possible.

>
> --
> Dr. Gurcharan Singh
> Retired  Associate Professor
> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
> Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/
>

--

[Gurcharan Singh]

Let us not confuse shoots/branches with roots. About Ficus semicordata:

This if from eFlora of China " Figs on pendulous, eventually prostrate, leafless branchlets, ± underground at maturity,"

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006371

And this is from eFlora of Pakistan "Hypanthodia on 5-8 mm long peduncles, borne in pairs or clusters on long usually leafless, scaly branches borne from the trunk or main leafless branches"

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200006371

The fruits may arise from branches or peduncles from underground branches, but as botanists we should not use term root in the same way we can't use term root for potato tuber, Alocasia corm or Ginger rhizome.

The point under discussion is can fruits arise directly from roots or not. My botany says not possible.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Pankaj Kumar]

To me it was hard to believe that it was stem. I just checked, Forest
Trees of Northern Thailand just now, I would like to quote a line from
there, which may explain what I might have seen... but I truely
remember what I saw was not coming from the top but from below the
ground and the, what I thought to be root stalk was running till the
base of the main trunk.

"Figs clustered along slender stems which start on the trunk but droop
downwards and often reach the ground, forming runners upto 1 m long,
just below the surface."

Thank you Gurcharan sir for pointing this out...
Pankaj

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yes Pankaj ji

That won't be unusual once we have known that branches may go underground and stalks arising from them bearing fruits as mentioned in eFlora of China. There is no disgreement on that.  

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Gurcharan Singh]

Thanks Pankaj ji

Your quoted three last lines clinch the issue. 

It was a really interesting discussion.

I am reminded of our discussion on Ranunculus hirtellus which dragged whole night (yours) and my day in California.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Dinesh Valke]

Many thanks Gurcharan ji and Pankaj for resolving this interesting point.
Regards.
Dinesh.

[Pankaj Kumar]

Dear Sir
I have special interest in Ficus hence thought of answering this.
Ficus hispida is known to have opposite leaves USUALLY, not
COMPULSORILY.

Most of the Ficus dont have such leaves and secondly, in young
condition, it's always tough to identify a Ficus because all the keys
for this genus are based on the location of figs on the plant part!!

Regards
Pankaj

On Tue, May 17, 2011 at 12:50 AM, H S <hems...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear all i dont go by what is written in some foreign floras,, like F.
> hispida shows opposite leaves written in some book and i come across
> alternate leaf in Young stage of plant,, i will surely point out that
> difference... what i have seen in the field will surely point out whenever
> possible,,, i may have mistaken with some terms,, but still my question
> remains, branches from the roots are not roots???
>
> hope i have taken any foto of that part,, will search and surely upload if i
> get that...
> regards..

>
>  - H.S.
> A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, - a mere heart of
> stone
>
>

--

[H S]

Dear pankaj ji...

 

'Ficus hispida is known to have opposite leaves USUALLY, not
COMPULSORILY.... ' None of flora quote this statement.. what ever i have seen...

I also have interest in many things including Ficus... and also working in one small forest area on it...

in many local floras i can show you its written in description and also in keys.... that F. hispida (opp. leaves)

 

 

young stage mean atleast 1-2 year plant...

 

 

Now actually am confused with terminology,,,, because i thought underground branches are also a part of roots,, infact i have seen inflorescence on the butresses of F. hispida in forest areas..

please help anyone...

[H S]

Dear all i dont go by what is written in some foreign floras,, like F. hispida shows opposite leaves written in some book and i come across alternate leaf in Young stage of plant,, i will surely point out that difference... what i have seen in the field will surely point out whenever possible,,, i may have mistaken with some terms,, but still my question remains, branches from the roots are not roots???

 

hope i have taken any foto of that part,, will search and surely upload if i get that...

regards..

[Pankaj Kumar]

Dear Sir
The reference which I used right now uses the word USUALLY and I added
the word COMPULSORILY, because that was obvious.
As for your query, frankly, I am to some extent still on your side
because I still cant imagine what I had seen on Ficus semicordata was
stem only. Because as I said in above post that it was leading to the
base of the main trunk very clearly as it was very thick and almost 30
% of the cylindrical stem or root whatever it was, was above ground.
But the same reference justifies it differently.

But I am still searching more reference to confirm.

My reference was from Trees of Northern Thailand. If you can acquire a
copy of it, then trust me you will be happy to own this. I was gifted
this on one of my birthdays by one of the authors of the book, Dr.
Anusarnsunthorn from Chiang Mai University. One of her students, Dr.
Pranee Palee is one of my very good friends and she illustrated Figs
and Oaks in the book.

http://www.nhbs.com/field_guide_to_forest_trees_of_northern_thailand_tefno_110371.html

Regards
Pankaj

--