Moreton Bay Fig
Encyclopedia
Ficus macrophylla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay Fig, is a large evergreen banyan
tree of the Moraceae
family that is a native of most of the eastern coast of Australia
, from the Atherton Tableland
(17° S) in the north to the Illawarra
(34° S) in New South Wales
, and Lord Howe Island
. Its common name is derived from Moreton Bay
in Queensland
, Australia
. It is best known for its beautiful buttress roots, which are also known for damaging municipal footpaths.
As Ficus macrophylla is a strangler fig
; seed germination usually takes place in the canopy of a host
tree and the seedling lives as an epiphyte
until its roots establish contact with the ground. It then enlarges and strangles its host, eventually becoming a freestanding tree by itself. Individuals may reach 60 m (200 ft) in height. Like all figs, it has an obligate mutualism with fig wasp
s; figs are only pollinated by fig wasps, and fig wasps can only reproduce in fig flowers.
Ficus macrophylla is widely used as a feature tree in public parks and gardens in warmer climates such as California, Portugal, Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Liguria) and Australia. Old specimens can reach tremendous size. Its aggressive root system allows its use in only the largest private gardens.
. Its specific epithet macrophylla is derived from the Ancient Greek
makro "large" and phyllon "leaf", and refers to the size of the leaves. Australian botanist Dale J. Dixon recognised two forms
: Ficus macrophylla f. macrophylla, a free-standing tree which is endemic to mainland Australia and Ficus macrophylla f. columnaris, a hemiepiphyte
without a distinct main trunk, which is endemic to Lord Howe Island
.
The generally used common name is Moreton Bay Fig, after Moreton Bay in southern Queensland, although it is found elsewhere. The term has also been mistakenly generalised to other fig species in Australia. An alternate name, Black Fig, is derived from the dark colour of the ageing bark.
With over 750 species, Ficus
is one of the largest angiosperm genera. Based on morphology
, English botanist E. J. H. Corner
divided the genus into four subgenera
; later expanded to six. In this classification, the Moreton Bay fig was placed in subseries Malvanthereae, series
Malvanthereae, section
Malvanthera of the subgenus
Urostigma. In his reclassification of the Australian Malvanthera, Dixon altered the delimitations of the series within the section, but left this species in series
Malvanthereae.
In 2005, Cornelis Berg completed Corner's treatment of the Moraceae
for the Flora Malesiana; the completion of that work had been delayed since 1972 as a result of disagreements between Corner and C. J. J. G. van Steenis, editor of the Flora Malesiana. Berg combined sections Stilpnophyllum and Malvanthera into an expanded section Stilpnophyllum. This left the Moreton Bay fig in subsection Malvanthera, section Stilpnophyllum.
Based on DNA sequences from the nuclear ribosomal internal
and external transcribed spacer
s, Nina Rønsted and colleagues rejected previous subdivisions of the Malvanthera. Instead, they divided section Malvanthera into three subsections—Malvantherae, Platypodeae and Hesperidiiformes. In this system, the Moreton Bay fig is in the new subsection Malvantherae, along with F. pleurocarpa
. The Malvantherae appear to be an early offshoot and basal to the group. Both species are native to Australia, with subspecies columnaris of macrophylla having colonised Lord Howe Island. Ronsted and colleagues suggest this last form might be the most ancient of the three taxa. The section Malvanthera itself is thought to have evolved 41 million years ago and radiated from 35 million years ago.
The Moreton Bay Fig is an evergreen tree that can reach heights of 60 m (200 ft). The trunk can be massive, with thick, prominent buttressing
, and reach a diameter of 2.4 m (8 ft). The rough bark is grey-brown, and marked with various blemishes. It is monoecious: each tree bears functional male and female flowers. As implied by its specific epithet, it has large, elliptic, leathery, dark green leaves, 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long, and they are arranged alternately on the stems. The leaves and branches bleed a milky sap if cut or broken. The figs are 2–2.5 cm (0.75–1 in) in diameter, turning from green to purple with lighter spots as they ripen; ripe fruit may be found year round, although more abundant from February to May. Although edible, they are unpalatable and dry.
The characteristic "melting" appearance of the Moreton Bay fig is due to its habit of dropping aerial root
s from its branches, which upon reaching the ground, thicken into supplementary trunks which help to support the weight of its crown.
It is a rainforest plant and in this environment more often grows in the form of an epiphytic strangler vine than that of a tree. When its seeds land in the branch of a host tree it sends aerial, 'strangler' roots down the host trunk, eventually killing the host and standing alone.
Its roots are surface feeding and it is quite susceptible to earth compaction around its trunk, which is why in many locations these trees are fenced. It is water-hungry, and like many Australian trees should neither be planted in urban environments where its roots may damage piping, nor where water is scarce.
Figs have an obligate mutualism with fig wasp
s, (Agaonidae); figs are only pollinated by fig wasps, and fig wasps can only reproduce in fig flowers. Generally, each fig species depends on a single species of wasp for pollination. The wasps are similarly dependent on their fig species in order to reproduce. The Moreton Bay fig is pollinated by the fig wasp
Pleistodontes froggatti
.
(17° S) in north Queensland, to the Shoalhaven River
(34° S) on New South Wales
south coast. It is found in rainforest, where, as an emergent tree, its crown may tower above the canopy.
of the Moreton Bay fig are host to several species of non-pollinating chalcidoid wasps including Sycoscapter australis (Pteromalidae
), Eukobelea hallami (Sycophaginae) and Meselatus sp. (Epichrysomallinae). It is an important food to the fruit-eating pigeons such as the Wompoo Fruit-dove
(Ptilinopus magnificus), and Topknot Pigeon
(Lopholaimus antarcticus), and a sometime food of the Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
(Ptilinopus regina). Other bird species include the Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrike
(Coracina lineata), Pied Currawong
(Strepera graculina), Australasian Figbird
(Sphecotheres vieilloti), Green Catbird
(Ailuroedus crassirostris), Regent Bowerbird
(Sericulus chrysocephalus), Satin Bowerbird
(Ptilonorhynchus violaceus), and Lewin's Honeyeater
(Meliphaga lewinii). Fruit bats such as the Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) also feed on the fruit.
The thrips
species Gynaikothrips australis feeds on the underside of new leaves of F. macrophylla, as well as F. rubiginosa and F. obliqua. As plant cells die, nearby cells are induced into forming meristem
tissue and a gall
results, and the leaves become distorted and curl over. The thrips begin feeding when the tree has flushes of new growth, and the life cycle is around six weeks. At other times, thrips reside on old leaves without feeding. The species pupates sheltered in the bark. The thrips remain in the galls at night and wander about in the daytime and return in the evening, possibly to different galls about the tree.
Ficus macrophylla is commonly cultivated in Hawaii
and in northern New Zealand
. In both places, it has now naturalised, having acquired its pollinating wasp (Pleistodontes froggatti). In Hawaii the wasp was deliberately introduced in 1921, and in New Zealand it was first recorded in 1993, having apparently arrived by long-distance dispersal from Australia. The arrival of the wasp led to prolific production of fruits containing many small seeds adapted for dispersal by birds. The Moreton Bay Fig has been found growing on both native and introduced trees in New Zealand and in Hawaii. The size and vigour of this fig in New Zealand, and its lack of natural enemies, as well as its immunity to possum
browsing, indicate that it may be able to invade forest and other native plant communities.
.
Although their root buttressing is a potential feature, the Moreton Bay Fig is poorly suited to bonsai
as their large leaves do not reduce much in size and they have long internodal growth. It is can be used as an indoor plant in medium to brightly-lit indoor spaces.
The soft light timber has a wavy texture and is used for cases. Aborigines traditionally used the fibres for fishing nets.
and Sydney
botanical gardens contain numerous specimens planted in the middle of the nineteenth century. These figs are on average of 30–35 metres in height and 40 metres in width. Currently the tallest Moreton Bay Fig is found on a cattle farm near Egg Rock in the Numinbah valley of Queensland
and measured 49 metres (161 feet) in 2006. At Mount Keira
, near Wollongong there is a Moreton Bay Fig measured at 58 metres tall. There are many large specimens in New Zealand. A Moreton Bay Fig at Pahi on the Kaipara Harbour, Northland, was measured in 1984 as 26.5 metres (86.9 feet) high and 48.5 meters (159 feet) wide. Several large specimens grow in California
, U.S.A.. The tallest in North America is in back of San Diego's
Natural History Museum
and was planted in 1914. By 1996 it stood 23.7 metres (78 feet) high and 37.4 metres (123 feet) across. The widest Moreton Bay Fig in North America is the Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree
. It was planted in 1876, reportedly by a sailor, and measured 53.6 metres (176 feet) across in 1997. It was once a tourist attraction. Santa Monica
resident and United States Senator John P. Jones
planted a Moreton Bay Fig in a corner of his estate in 1889, which became the patio of the Miramar Hotel in 1921. There is a notable specimen sprawling on steps at the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra
, Portugal
. Impressive specimens also grow in several parks in Liguria (Bordighera and Sanremo) and in the Orto Botanico
in Palermo
, Italy
, and in some squares in the oldest part of the city.
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
tree of the Moraceae
Moraceae
Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates...
family that is a native of most of the eastern coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, from the Atherton Tableland
Atherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
(17° S) in the north to the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
(34° S) in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...
. Its common name is derived from Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is best known for its beautiful buttress roots, which are also known for damaging municipal footpaths.
As Ficus macrophylla is a strangler fig
Strangler Fig
Strangler fig is the common name for a number of tropical and subtropical plant species, including some banyans and unrelated vines, including among many other species:* Ficus aurea, also known as the Florida Strangler Fig...
; seed germination usually takes place in the canopy of a host
Host (biology)
In biology, a host is an organism that harbors a parasite, or a mutual or commensal symbiont, typically providing nourishment and shelter. In botany, a host plant is one that supplies food resources and substrate for certain insects or other fauna...
tree and the seedling lives as an epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
until its roots establish contact with the ground. It then enlarges and strangles its host, eventually becoming a freestanding tree by itself. Individuals may reach 60 m (200 ft) in height. Like all figs, it has an obligate mutualism with fig wasp
Fig wasp
Fig wasps are wasps of the family Agaonidae which pollinate figs or are otherwise associated with figs, a coevolutional relationship that has been developing for at least 80 million years...
s; figs are only pollinated by fig wasps, and fig wasps can only reproduce in fig flowers.
Ficus macrophylla is widely used as a feature tree in public parks and gardens in warmer climates such as California, Portugal, Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Liguria) and Australia. Old specimens can reach tremendous size. Its aggressive root system allows its use in only the largest private gardens.
Taxonomy
The Moreton Bay fig was described by French botanist René Louiche DesfontainesRené Louiche Desfontaines
René Louiche Desfontaines was a French botanist.Desfontaines was born near Tremblay in Brittany. He attended the Collège de Rennes and in 1773 went to Paris to study medicine. His interest in botany originated from lectures at the Jardin des Plantes given by Louis Guillaume Lemonnier...
. Its specific epithet macrophylla is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
makro "large" and phyllon "leaf", and refers to the size of the leaves. Australian botanist Dale J. Dixon recognised two forms
Form (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, a form is one of the "secondary" taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, which in turn is below that of species; it is an infraspecific taxon...
: Ficus macrophylla f. macrophylla, a free-standing tree which is endemic to mainland Australia and Ficus macrophylla f. columnaris, a hemiepiphyte
Hemiepiphyte
A hemiepiphyte is a plant which begins its life as an epiphyte but which later grows roots down into the ground. The seeds of hemiepiphytes germinate in the canopy and initially live epiphytically...
without a distinct main trunk, which is endemic to Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...
.
The generally used common name is Moreton Bay Fig, after Moreton Bay in southern Queensland, although it is found elsewhere. The term has also been mistakenly generalised to other fig species in Australia. An alternate name, Black Fig, is derived from the dark colour of the ageing bark.
With over 750 species, Ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
is one of the largest angiosperm genera. Based on morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, English botanist E. J. H. Corner
E. J. H. Corner
Edred John Henry Corner FRS was a botanist who occupied the posts of assistant director at the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Professor of Tropical Botany at the University of Cambridge...
divided the genus into four subgenera
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
; later expanded to six. In this classification, the Moreton Bay fig was placed in subseries Malvanthereae, series
Series (botany)
Series is a low-level taxonomic rank below that of section but above that of species.In botany, a series is a subdivision of a genus...
Malvanthereae, section
Section (botany)
In botany, a section is a taxonomic rank below the genus, but above the species. The subgenus, if present, is higher than the section, and the rank of series, if present, is below the section. Sections are typically used to help organise very large genera, which may have hundreds of species...
Malvanthera of the subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
Urostigma. In his reclassification of the Australian Malvanthera, Dixon altered the delimitations of the series within the section, but left this species in series
Series (botany)
Series is a low-level taxonomic rank below that of section but above that of species.In botany, a series is a subdivision of a genus...
Malvanthereae.
In 2005, Cornelis Berg completed Corner's treatment of the Moraceae
Moraceae
Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates...
for the Flora Malesiana; the completion of that work had been delayed since 1972 as a result of disagreements between Corner and C. J. J. G. van Steenis, editor of the Flora Malesiana. Berg combined sections Stilpnophyllum and Malvanthera into an expanded section Stilpnophyllum. This left the Moreton Bay fig in subsection Malvanthera, section Stilpnophyllum.
Based on DNA sequences from the nuclear ribosomal internal
Internal transcribed spacer
ITS refers to a piece of non-functional RNA situated between structural ribosomal RNAs on a common precursor transcript. Read from 5' to 3', this polycistronic rRNA precursor transcript contains the 5' external transcribed sequence , 18S rRNA, ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS2, 28S rRNA and finally the 3'ETS...
and external transcribed spacer
External transcribed spacer
External transcribed spacer refers to a piece of non-functional RNA, closely related to the internal transcribed spacer, which is situated outside structural ribosomal RNAs on a common precursor transcript....
s, Nina Rønsted and colleagues rejected previous subdivisions of the Malvanthera. Instead, they divided section Malvanthera into three subsections—Malvantherae, Platypodeae and Hesperidiiformes. In this system, the Moreton Bay fig is in the new subsection Malvantherae, along with F. pleurocarpa
Ficus pleurocarpa
Ficus pleurocarpa, commonly known as the banana fig, karpe fig or gabi fig, is a fig that is endemic to the wet tropical rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It has characteristic ribbed orange and red cylindrical syconia. It begins life as a hemiepiphyte, later becoming a tree up...
. The Malvantherae appear to be an early offshoot and basal to the group. Both species are native to Australia, with subspecies columnaris of macrophylla having colonised Lord Howe Island. Ronsted and colleagues suggest this last form might be the most ancient of the three taxa. The section Malvanthera itself is thought to have evolved 41 million years ago and radiated from 35 million years ago.
Description
Buttress root
Buttress are large roots on all sides of a big bottomed tree or shallowly rooted tree. Typically, they are found in nutrient-poor rainforest soils and do not penetrate to deeper layers. They prevent the tree from falling over while also gathering more nutrients...
, and reach a diameter of 2.4 m (8 ft). The rough bark is grey-brown, and marked with various blemishes. It is monoecious: each tree bears functional male and female flowers. As implied by its specific epithet, it has large, elliptic, leathery, dark green leaves, 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long, and they are arranged alternately on the stems. The leaves and branches bleed a milky sap if cut or broken. The figs are 2–2.5 cm (0.75–1 in) in diameter, turning from green to purple with lighter spots as they ripen; ripe fruit may be found year round, although more abundant from February to May. Although edible, they are unpalatable and dry.
The characteristic "melting" appearance of the Moreton Bay fig is due to its habit of dropping aerial root
Aerial root
Aerial roots are roots above the ground. They are almost always adventitious. They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids, tropical coastal swamp trees such as mangroves, the resourceful banyan trees, the warm-temperate rainforest rātā and pōhutukawa Aerial roots...
s from its branches, which upon reaching the ground, thicken into supplementary trunks which help to support the weight of its crown.
It is a rainforest plant and in this environment more often grows in the form of an epiphytic strangler vine than that of a tree. When its seeds land in the branch of a host tree it sends aerial, 'strangler' roots down the host trunk, eventually killing the host and standing alone.
Its roots are surface feeding and it is quite susceptible to earth compaction around its trunk, which is why in many locations these trees are fenced. It is water-hungry, and like many Australian trees should neither be planted in urban environments where its roots may damage piping, nor where water is scarce.
Reproduction
Fig wasp
Fig wasps are wasps of the family Agaonidae which pollinate figs or are otherwise associated with figs, a coevolutional relationship that has been developing for at least 80 million years...
s, (Agaonidae); figs are only pollinated by fig wasps, and fig wasps can only reproduce in fig flowers. Generally, each fig species depends on a single species of wasp for pollination. The wasps are similarly dependent on their fig species in order to reproduce. The Moreton Bay fig is pollinated by the fig wasp
Fig wasp
Fig wasps are wasps of the family Agaonidae which pollinate figs or are otherwise associated with figs, a coevolutional relationship that has been developing for at least 80 million years...
Pleistodontes froggatti
Pleistodontes froggatti
Pleistodontes froggatti is a species of fig wasp which is native to Australia. It has an obligate mutualism with the Moreton Bay Fig, Ficus macrophylla, the species it pollinates...
.
Distribution and habitat
The Moreton Bay Fig is a native of most of the eastern coast, from the Atherton TablelandAtherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
(17° S) in north Queensland, to the Shoalhaven River
Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River is a river rising from the Southern Tablelands and flowing into the ocean near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.- History :...
(34° S) on New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
south coast. It is found in rainforest, where, as an emergent tree, its crown may tower above the canopy.
Ecology
In addition to the pollinating wasp, Pleistodontes froggatti, syconiaSyconium
A syconium is the type of fruit borne by figs , formed of an enlarged, fleshy, hollow receptacle with multiple ovaries on the inside surface. In essence, it is really a fleshy stem with a number of flowers, so it is considered both a multiple and accessory fruit. The name comes from the Greek word...
of the Moreton Bay fig are host to several species of non-pollinating chalcidoid wasps including Sycoscapter australis (Pteromalidae
Pteromalidae
Pteromalidae is a very large family of parasitic wasps, with some 3,450 described species in some 640 genera...
), Eukobelea hallami (Sycophaginae) and Meselatus sp. (Epichrysomallinae). It is an important food to the fruit-eating pigeons such as the Wompoo Fruit-dove
Wompoo Fruit-Dove
The Wompoo Fruit Dove , also known as Wompoo Pigeon, is the largest of Fruit Doves native to New Guinea and Australia.-Description:...
(Ptilinopus magnificus), and Topknot Pigeon
Topknot Pigeon
The Topknot Pigeon is a pigeon native to Australia. It is also known by the name of "Flock Pigeon".-Description:...
(Lopholaimus antarcticus), and a sometime food of the Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
The Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus regina, also known as Pink-capped Fruit Dove or Swainson's Fruit Dove, is a medium-sized, up to 22 cm long, green fruit dove with a grey head and breast, an orange belly, whitish throat, yellow-orange iris, and greyish green bill and feet. It has a...
(Ptilinopus regina). Other bird species include the Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrike
Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrike
The Barred Cuckooshrike , also called the Yellow-eyed Cuckooshrike, is a species of bird in the Campephagidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands....
(Coracina lineata), Pied Currawong
Pied Currawong
The Pied Currawong is a medium-sized black passerine bird native to eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian Magpie of the family Artamidae. Six subspecies are recognised...
(Strepera graculina), Australasian Figbird
Australasian Figbird
The Australasian Figbird is a conspicuous medium-sized passerine bird native to a wide range of wooded habitats in northern and eastern Australia, southern Papua New Guinea, and the Kai Islands in Indonesia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of S...
(Sphecotheres vieilloti), Green Catbird
Green Catbird
The Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris is a species of bowerbird found on subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. Its colouring is emerald green, with faint black markings on the face and white streaks on the neck.Green...
(Ailuroedus crassirostris), Regent Bowerbird
Regent Bowerbird
The Regent Bowerbird, Sericulus chrysocephalus is a medium-sized, up to 25 cm long, sexually dimorphic bowerbird. The male bird is black with a golden orange-yellow crown, mantle and black-tipped wing feathers. It has yellow bill, black feet and yellow iris...
(Sericulus chrysocephalus), Satin Bowerbird
Satin Bowerbird
The Satin Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus is a bowerbird endemic to eastern Australia.A rare natural intergeneric hybrid between the Satin Bowerbird and the Regent Bowerbird is known as Rawnsley's Bowerbird.-Distribution:...
(Ptilonorhynchus violaceus), and Lewin's Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
The Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii, is a bird that inhabits the ranges along the east coast of Australia. It has a semicircular ear patch, pale yellow in colour.The name of this bird commemorates the Australian artist John Lewin....
(Meliphaga lewinii). Fruit bats such as the Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) also feed on the fruit.
The thrips
Thrips
Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings . Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, and corn lice...
species Gynaikothrips australis feeds on the underside of new leaves of F. macrophylla, as well as F. rubiginosa and F. obliqua. As plant cells die, nearby cells are induced into forming meristem
Meristem
A meristem is the tissue in most plants consisting of undifferentiated cells , found in zones of the plant where growth can take place....
tissue and a gall
Gall
Galls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...
results, and the leaves become distorted and curl over. The thrips begin feeding when the tree has flushes of new growth, and the life cycle is around six weeks. At other times, thrips reside on old leaves without feeding. The species pupates sheltered in the bark. The thrips remain in the galls at night and wander about in the daytime and return in the evening, possibly to different galls about the tree.
Potentially invasive species
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and in northern New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In both places, it has now naturalised, having acquired its pollinating wasp (Pleistodontes froggatti). In Hawaii the wasp was deliberately introduced in 1921, and in New Zealand it was first recorded in 1993, having apparently arrived by long-distance dispersal from Australia. The arrival of the wasp led to prolific production of fruits containing many small seeds adapted for dispersal by birds. The Moreton Bay Fig has been found growing on both native and introduced trees in New Zealand and in Hawaii. The size and vigour of this fig in New Zealand, and its lack of natural enemies, as well as its immunity to possum
Common Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
browsing, indicate that it may be able to invade forest and other native plant communities.
Uses
The Moreton Bay Fig has been widely used in public parks in frost-free areas, and was popular with early settlers of Australia. Sydney has numerous specimens. Specimens can reach massive proportions, and have thrived in drier climates; impressive specimen trees have been grown in the Waring Gardens in Deniliquin, and in HayHay, New South Wales
Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales , Australia. It is the administrative centre of Hay Shire Local Government Area and the centre of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains....
.
Although their root buttressing is a potential feature, the Moreton Bay Fig is poorly suited to bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
as their large leaves do not reduce much in size and they have long internodal growth. It is can be used as an indoor plant in medium to brightly-lit indoor spaces.
The soft light timber has a wavy texture and is used for cases. Aborigines traditionally used the fibres for fishing nets.
Notable specimens
Large specimens of Moreton Bay Fig Trees are found in many parks and properties throughout eastern and north-eastern Australia. The BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
botanical gardens contain numerous specimens planted in the middle of the nineteenth century. These figs are on average of 30–35 metres in height and 40 metres in width. Currently the tallest Moreton Bay Fig is found on a cattle farm near Egg Rock in the Numinbah valley of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and measured 49 metres (161 feet) in 2006. At Mount Keira
Mount Keira
Mount Keira is a 464 metre high mountain lying 4 kilometres northwest of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Its distinctive shape and proximity to Wollongong make it a major local landmark. It is noted for the views of the city from the popular summit lookout and its history of...
, near Wollongong there is a Moreton Bay Fig measured at 58 metres tall. There are many large specimens in New Zealand. A Moreton Bay Fig at Pahi on the Kaipara Harbour, Northland, was measured in 1984 as 26.5 metres (86.9 feet) high and 48.5 meters (159 feet) wide. Several large specimens grow in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.A.. The tallest in North America is in back of San Diego's
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Natural History Museum was founded in 1874 as the San Diego Society of Natural History. The present location of the museum in San Diego's Balboa Park was dedicated on January 14, 1933....
and was planted in 1914. By 1996 it stood 23.7 metres (78 feet) high and 37.4 metres (123 feet) across. The widest Moreton Bay Fig in North America is the Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree
Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree
Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree located in Santa Barbara, California is believed to be the largest Ficus macrophylla in the country.A seaman, visiting Santa Barbara In 1876, presented a seedling of an Australian Moreton Bay Fig tree to a local girl who planted it at 201 State Street...
. It was planted in 1876, reportedly by a sailor, and measured 53.6 metres (176 feet) across in 1997. It was once a tourist attraction. Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
resident and United States Senator John P. Jones
John P. Jones
John Percival Jones was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican United States Senator from Nevada. He made a fortune in silver mining and was a co-founder of the town of Santa Monica, California....
planted a Moreton Bay Fig in a corner of his estate in 1889, which became the patio of the Miramar Hotel in 1921. There is a notable specimen sprawling on steps at the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra
Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra
The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra is a botanical garden in Coimbra, Portugal. It was founded in 1772-1774 and it was integrated in the Natural History Museum established by the Marquis of Pombal...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Impressive specimens also grow in several parks in Liguria (Bordighera and Sanremo) and in the Orto Botanico
Orto botanico di Palermo
The Orto Botanico di Palermo is both a botanical garden and a research and educational institution forming part of, and managed by, the Department of Botany of the University of Palermo. The garden lies within the city of Palermo , at 10 metres above sea-level...
in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and in some squares in the oldest part of the city.
External links
- Ficus macrophylla - Gallery
- Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): Ficus macrophylla
- National Tropical Botanical Garden: Ficus macrophylla Arboles ornamentales: Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers.
- A permanent photographic research about Ficus macrophylla in Italy. Champion Trees in Liguria, Sicily and Sardinia