Ficus pseudopalma
Species of fig
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ficus pseudopalma is a species of fig, (subgenus Sycamorus) in the mulberry family (Moraceae).[2] It is known by the common names Philippine fig, dracaena fig, and palm-leaf fig.[3] In nature it is endemic to the Philippines, especially the island of Luzon.[3] It is known elsewhere as an ornamental plant.
| Ficus pseudopalma | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Genus: | Ficus |
| Subgenus: | F. subg. Sycomorus |
| Species: | F. pseudopalma |
| Binomial name | |
| Ficus pseudopalma | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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This is a shrub or rarely branching small tree growing erect with a naked unbranched mesocaul stem topped with a cluster of wavey-edged leaves to give it the appearance of a palm.[4] Indeed, the species name pseudopalma means "false palm".[5] The leaves are 75–100 cm (30–40 in) long and up to 15 cm (6 in) wide,[6][7] with a yellow midrib and edged with dull teeth. The edges of the leaf are elevated above the midrib, forming a sort of trough.[8] The fruit is a dark green fig that grows in pairs, each measuring 2.5 cm (1 in).[6]
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In Luzon, this plant occurs in grassland and forest habitat, where it is considered common.[9] The new shoots of the plant are eaten as a type of vegetable, and there are a number of traditional medicinal uses, such as a remedy for kidney stones made from the leaves.[10] In Bicol Region the plant is known as Lubi-lubi and the leaves are cooked in coconut milk.[5] In 2003 the leaves were sold in markets for US$0.74 per kilogram, and the plant can be grown in plantations without pesticides for an adequate profit.[5]
This shrub has been used as a landscaping plant in Hawaii, but it never escaped cultivation or became established in the wild because the species of wasp that pollinates it was never brought to the islands.[4]
