Ficus thonningii Blume [family MORACEAE]

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 6, page 13, (1991) Author: C. C. Berg
Names
Ficus dekdekena var. angustifolia Peter [family MORACEAE], in Fedde, Repert., Beih. 40, 2, 2: 106 (1932). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus mammigera R.E. Fries [family MORACEAE], in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berl. 8: 669 (1924). Type from Kenya.
Ficus crassipedicellata var. cuneata De Wild. [family MORACEAE], Pl. Bequaert. 1: 338 (1922). Type from Zaire.
Ficus crassipedicellata forma boonei De Wild. [family MORACEAE], Pl. Bequaert. 1: 337 (1922). Type from Zaire.
Ficus crassipedicellata forma angustifolia De Wild. [family MORACEAE], Pl. Bequaert. 1: 336 (1922). Type from Zaire.
Ficus cognata N.E. Brown [family MORACEAE], in Bull. Misc. Inf., Kew 1921: 297 (1921). Type from Zaire.
Ficus crassipedicellata De Wild. [family MORACEAE], Pl. Bequaert. 1: 335 (1922). Type not designated.
Ficus butaguensis De Wild. [family MORACEAE], in Ann. Soc. Sci. Brux. 40: 279 (1921). Type from Zaire.
Ficus bequaertii De Wild. [family MORACEAE], in Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belge 52: 200 (1914). Type from Zaire.
Ficus erici-rosenii R.E. Fries [family MORACEAE], Wiss. Ergebn. Schwed. Rhod.-Kongo-Exped. 1911–1912 1: 15, t. 1 (1914). Type: Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls, Fries 30 (K, isotype).
Ficus cyphocarpa Mildbr. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 46: 261 (1911). Type from Zaire.
Ficus rhodesiaca Mildbr. & Burret [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 46: 254 (1911). Type: Zimbabwe, Harare, Engler 3060 (B, holotype; K, isotype).
Ficus dinteri Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Viert. Nat. Ges. Zürich 51: 141 (1906). Type from Namibia.
Ficus schinziana Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Viert. Nat. Ges. Zürich 51: 143 (1906). Type from S. Africa.
Ficus trophyton Lebrun & Toussaint [family MORACEAE], in Expl. Parc Nat. Kagera 1: 43 (1948).
Ficus rupicola Lebrun & Toussaint [family MORACEAE], in Expl. Parc Nat. Kagera 1: 43 (1948). Type from Rwanda.
Ficus neurocarpa Lebrun & Toussaint [family MORACEAE], in Expl. Parc Nat. Kagera 1: 42 (1948). Type from Rwanda.
Ficus kagerensis Lebrun & Toussaint [family MORACEAE], in Expl. Parc Nat. Kagera 1: 41 (1948). Type from Rwanda.
Ficus thonningii var. heterophylla Peter [family MORACEAE], in Fedde, Repert., Beih. 40, 2, 2: 109. Descr.: 9, t. II. 2, 2 (1932). Types from Tanzania.
Ficus phillipsii Burtt Davy & Hutch. [family MORACEAE], in Burtt Davy, Fl. Pl. Ferns Transv., part II: 442 (1926). Type from S. Africa.
Ficus galpinii Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Viert. Nat. Ges. Zürich 51: 140 (1906). Lectotype from S. Africa, chosen by Berg in Fl. Gabon 26: 162 (1984).
Ficus pubicosta Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Ann. Mus. Congo, Bot. sér. 6, 1: 16 (1904). Type from Zaire.
Ficus persicifolia var. angustifolia Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Ann. Mus. Congo, Bot. sér. 6, 1: 15 (1904). Type from Zaire.
Ficus persicifolia var. glabripes Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Ann. Mus. Congo, Bot. sér. 6, 1: 15 (1904). Syntypes from Zaire.
Ficus ruficeps Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 30: 294 (1901). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus eriocarpa Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 30: 294 (1901). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus goetzei Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 28: 378 (1900). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus medullaris Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 20: 169 (1894). Type from Zaire.
Ficus mabifolia Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 20: 165 (1894). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus petersii Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 20: 164 (1894). Type: Mozambique, Moravi, Peters s.n. (B, holotype).
Ficus chlamydodora Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 20: 163 (1894). Type from Tanzania.
Ficus persicifolia Warb. [family MORACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 20: 162 (1894). —F. White, F.F.N.R.: 33 (1962). Type from Angola.
Ficus psilopoga Ficalho [family MORACEAE], Pl. Ut. Afr. Port.: 270 (1884). Type from Angola.
Ficus burkei Miq. Miq. [family MORACEAE], in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 3: 289 (1867). —Hutch. in F.T.A. 6, 2: 202 (1917). —F. White, F.F.N.R.: 34 (1962).
Urostigma thonningii Blume Miq. [family MORACEAE], in Hook., Lond. Journ. Bot. 6: 558 (1847).
Urostigma burkei Miq. [family MORACEAE], in Hook., Lond. Journ. Bot. 6: 555 (1847). Type from S. Africa.
Ficus microcarpa Vahl [family MORACEAE], Enum. Pl. 2: 188 (1805) non L.f. (1781) nom. illegit Type as above.
Ficus thonningii Blume [family MORACEAE], in Rumphia 2: 17 (1836).—Hutch. in F.T.A. 6, 2: 187 (1916).—Lebrun & Boutique in F.C.B. 1: 148. t. 16 (1948). —Keay in F.W.T.A. ed. 2, 1: 610 (1958). —C.C. Berg et al. in Fl. Cameroun 28: 175, t. 59 (1985). —C.C. Berg in F.T.E.A., Moraceae: 73, t. 21 (1989); in Kirkia 13: 268 (1990). —van Greuning in S. Afr. J. Bot. 56, 6: 622, fig. 20 (1990). Type from Ghana.
Information
Tree up to 15(30) m. tall, or a shrub, terrestrial or hemi-epiphytic. Leafy twigs 1.5–8 mm. thick, minutely puberulous to hirtellous or white- to brown-pubescent, or glabrous on the stipule scars, sometimes entirely glabrous, periderm usually not flaking off. Leaves spirally arranged, occasionally subopposite; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate or subobovate to subovate, (1.5)3–12(18) x (1)1.5–6(9) cm., subcoriaceous; apex acuminate to obtuse or rounded; base cuneate to rounded or subcordate, often slightly inaequilateral; margin entire; superior surface glabrous or sparsely puberulous to pubescent, the midrib more densely so, the inferior surface glabrous or sparsely to densely white- to brownish-puberulous or pubescent on the whole surface, the main veins or only the midrib; lateral veins (5)7–12(16) pairs, midrib often reaching the apex of the lamina (even in leaves with a rounded apex), tertiary venation reticulate or parallel to the lateral veins; petiole (0.5)1–4(6) cm. long, 1–2 mm. thick, often (not depending on the size of the lamina or the position of the leaf on the twig) variable in length on the same twig, glabrous or puberulous, hirtellous or pubescent; stipules 3–10(20) mm. long, white to brown pubescent, puberulous or only ciliolate, caducous or subpersistent. Figs in pairs in the leaf axils, sometimes also below the leaves, sessile or on peduncles up to 1 cm. long; basal bracts 2–4 mm. long, persistent. Receptacle globose to ellipsoid, c. 5–10(12) mm. in diam. when fresh, 4–12(17) mm. in diam. when dry, glabrous or sparsely to densely white to brown puberulous or pubescent, reddish, yellowish or brownish at maturity; wall thin, mostly smooth or slightly wrinkled when dry; apex plane to strongly protruding when dry.
Habitat
Miombo woodland, swamp forest (mushitu), riverine vegetation, Baikiaea thickets (mukusi, mutemwa) on Kalahari Sand, wooded grassland and dambos, often on termitaria
Range
Widespread in subsaharan Africa from Cape Verde Islands to Ethiopia, and southwards to Namibia and S. Africa (Cape Province).
Altitude range
0–2300 m.
2300
0
Distribution
Mozambique M Maputo Distr., Namaacha, Mt. Ponduíni, 25.vii.1980, Schäfer 7199 (K; LMU).Mozambique T Tete, Furancungo, 25.viii.1941, Torre 3328 (LISC).Mozambique MS Manica, Macequece (Maciquece), 29.i.1948, Mendonça 3574 (LISC).Malawi S Mt. Mulanje, path to Chambe Basin, 6.ix.1970, Müller 1556 (K, SRGH).Mozambique Z Zambézia, Milange, 13.x.1942, Torre 4599 (LISC).Zimbabwe S Chibi Distr., near Madzivire Dip, c. 6.4 km. W. of Runde (Lundi) R. Bridge, 3.v.1962, Drummond 7907 (K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).Malawi C Lilongwe Distr., c. 38 km. S. of Lilongwe, 6.iv.1978, Pawek 14326B (K; MAL; MO).Zimbabwe E Chipinge, main road between Chipinge & Mt. Selinda, ii.1962. Goldsmith 53/62 (LISC; PRE; SRGH).Zimbabwe C Gweru Distr., Lower Gweru T.T.L., Chief Sogwala's house, 21.vii.1966, Biegel 1281 (K; SRGH).Zimbabwe W Matopos Distr., Ntunja Cave, near Boomerang Farm, 7.ix.1952, Plowes 1467 (K; SRGH).Zambia S Mazabuka Distr., Siamambo For. Res., near Choma, 27.vii.1952, Angus 87 (FHO; K).Zambia E Lundazi, 17.x.1967, Mutimushi 2240 (NDO).Zambia C Lusaka, Chelston School, 4.xii.1976, Bingham 2079 (K).Zambia W Solwezi, 22.vii.1964, Fanshawe 8826 (K; LISC; NDO).Zambia N Mbala Distr., Lumi R. Marsh, near Kawimbe, 12.x.1956, Richards 6430 (K).Botswana SE Gaborone, Aedume Park, 22.x.1977, O.J. Hansen 3244 (K; PRE; SRGH).Mozambique N Old road of Mandimba, Hornby 2344 (PRE).Malawi N Mzimba Distr., Lundazi-Mzimba road, Mile 29, 28.iv.1952, White 2506 (FHO; K).Zimbabwe N Hillymead Farm, between Glendale & Bindura, 14.xii.1978, Arkell 2 (PRE; SRGH).Zambia B Sesheke Distr., Bombwe Forest, 3.i.1953, Angus 1099 (FHO; K).Botswana N Gubatsa Hills, at base of NE. facing cliff, 24.x.1972, Biegel, Pope & Russell 4050 (PRE).
Distribution (external)
Islands of Pagolu
Príncipe
São Tomé
Bioko
Notes
Ficus thonningii s.1. as here circumscribed is an extremely variable species or species complex. It cannot be satisfactorily subdivided on morphological criteria as one more or less distinct regional or ecological form gradually intergrades with other forms. However, two or more morphologically recognisable forms can occur side by side without the presence of intermediate specimens, which suggests the occurrence of reproductive isolation.The recognition of infra-specific taxa might prove possible after further study of F. thonningii s.1. For the time being several forms representing the extremes of variation, and which are more or less clearly associated with geography and habitat, may be recognised.The “burkei” form, is found in the savanna woodlands of the southern pan of the species range. It usually has whitish (to pale brown) pubescent, pedunculate figs, and whitish pubescent twigs, petioles and/or leaf inferior surfaces. This form passes more or less gradually into forms (in Mozambique, Angola, N. Zambia) with subsessile figs which are either glabrous or densely brown-pubescent. These latter forms have narrower (oblong to obovate or oblanceolate), often drooping leaves with relatively long petioles.The “mammigera” form, found in the evergreen forests of E. Zimbabwe, Malawi and W. Zambia is almost glabrous and has relatively large, oblong to elliptic leaves and rather large, subsessile, often mammilate (when dry) figs.
Ficus thonningii Blume [family MORACEAE]
PDF

Related Materials