Ficus laevicarpa Elmer, 1395

Berg, C. C., 2011, Corrective notes on the Malesian members of the genus Ficus (Moraceae), Blumea 56 (2), pp. 161-164 : 162-163

Ficus laevicarpa Elmer

Ficus laevicarpa Elmer (1912) 1395; Merr. (1923) 55. — Type: Elmer 12776 (iso L), Palawan, Puerto Princesa, ( Mt Pulgar ).

Tree up to 15 m tall. Leafy twigs 3 – 4 mm thick, whitish to brownish strigillose to subhirtellous, without nodal waxy glands, internodes hollow, periderm mostly flaking off; often with minute abortive axillary buds (also below the leaves). Leaves spirally arranged to subdistichous; lamina oblong, 12 – 24(– 30) by 4 –11 cm, ± asymmetric to almost symmetric, coriaceous, apex acuminate, base cuneate to rounded, margin entire, upper surface sparsely whitish to brownish appressed-puberulous on the midrib or also on the lateral veins to (sub)glabrous, smooth, lower surface very sparsely whitish to brownish strigillose on the main veins, smooth, cystoliths only beneath, lateral veins 4 –7 pairs, several of them branched or furcate away from the margin, basal pairs up to 1/4 –1/2 the length of the lamina, (faintly) branched, tertiary venation scalariform, waxy glands present in the axils of the lateral veins in the middle part of the lamina beneath; petiole 1.5– 3.5 cm long, whitish to brownish strigillose to subhirtellous, the epidermis flaking off; stipules 1–1.5 cm long, whitish to brownish strigillose and appressed-puberulous, caducous. Figs axillary (or on short leafless branchlets on the larger branches, fide Elmer 1912), solitary or in pairs (pendant, according to Elmer 1912); peduncle 0.7–1.2 cm long; basal bracts 3, verticillate, 3 – 5 mm long, patent to ± deflexed; receptacle subglobose to obovoid to ellipsoid, 1–1.5 cm diam when dry, non-stipitate, very sparsely whitish puberulous to glabrous, the epidermis persistent, faintly ribbed, without lateral bracts, colour at maturity unknown, apex ± convex, ostiole 5– 6 mm diam, surrounded by 5 apical bracts, these and the upper ostiolar bracts pointing upwards, form a rosette, the ostiolar bracts usually minutely puberulous outside or at least ciliolate; internal hairs absent. Style of long-styled pistillate flower glabrous.

Distribution — Malesia: Philippines (only Palawan).

Habitat — In rocky river beds and on rocky riverbanks, at low altitudes.

Additional collections examined. PALAWAN, Tatay,Bambanan, Mt Capoas , 160 m, Reynoso et al. PPI11179 (L); Pagdanan Range, Ibangley, Brookside Hill, 40 m, Ridsdale SMHI477 (L); Pagdanan Range, 10 km E of San Vicente, 170 m, Ridsdale SMHI1524 A (L); Irawan River valley,nr. Benguet mine, 150 m, Soejarto 6094 (A); Puerto Princesa, Irawan, Tatanarum, Stone PPI.53; Puerto Princesa, Narra, La Estrella, Stone et al. PPI100; Panacan, Aborlan, Victoria Mts, Sulit 14791 = PNH12454 (A) .

Note — This species is clearly distinct in the structure of the ostiole with a rosette of bracts pointing upwards (as in F. rosulata , ined.) and also by the partly or predominantly whitish indumentum on various parts. The species is rheophytic according to the label of Ridsdale 1524.