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Ficus microcarpa
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Family:
MORACEAE
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Citation: Ficus microcarpa L. f., Suppl. Pl. 442. 1781; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 276. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 379. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 356. 1985; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 448. 1990; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 429. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 394. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 298. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 312. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 634. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 465. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 664. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 773. 2009.
Ficus retusa King, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Calcutta) 1: 50. tt.61 & 84 P.1887, non L. 1767; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 511. 1888; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1362(952). 1928.
Ficus retusa var. nitida sensu Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 511. 1888, non Thunb. 1781-1801; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1362(952). 1928.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Ithi, Ithiyal, Kallithi
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Chinese banyan, Indian Laurel
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Description:
Evergreen trees, usually epiphytic, to 18 m high, aerial roots numerous, slender, arching from the branches; bark surface grey to greyish-brown, smooth; blaze dull yellow; latex milky; branchlets 2-3 mm thick, angled, glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral; stipules 10-15 mm long, lateral, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous or the edges ciliate; cauducous, leaving an annular scar; petiole 10-15 mm long, glandular at apex below, glabrous, flattened above, slender, not articulate; lamina 4-12 x 2-5 cm, elliptic, elliptic-ovate, elliptic-obovate or obovate, base acute or obtuse, apex acute, obtusely acute or retuse, margin entire, undulate, glabrous, coriaceous; 3-5-ribbed from base, lateral nerves 5-9 pairs, pinnate, slender, secondary laterals as prominent as primary, looped near the margin, intercostae reticulate, prominent. Flowers unisexual; inflorescence a syconia, sessile, in axillary pairs, globose, 7 mm across, glabrous, orifice plane or slightly raised, cloned by 3 flat apical bracts; internal bristles minute, sparse; basal bracts 3, 1.5-3.5 x 1.5-2.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, persistent; flowers of 4 kinds; male flowers numerous; sessile or shortly pedicelled; tepals 3, subspathulate, free; stamen 1; filament 0.3 mm; anthers unequal, ovate-oblong, mucronate; female flowers sessile, sepals 3, spathulate, ovary superior, smooth, stigma cylindric or clavate; gall flowers pedicellate; tepals 3, broadly spathulate. Syconium 8-10 mm across, globose, glabrous, pink with yellow shades when ripe; achenes smooth.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
March-May
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, also in the plains
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Distribution:
Indo-Malesia to Pacific Islands and South China
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
800-1200
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Localities:
Vazhachal, Alampetty, Thayanankkudy, Swamikkayam, Umikuppan, Lakshmipara, Kottamala, Vallakkadavu, Vengoli, Kariamchola, Sabari hills, Parappa, Kunthipuzha dam site area, Nulayakadkavu, Athirumala
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