Common Red-stem Fig

Scientific Name : Ficus variegata Blume
Common Name : Common Red-stem Fig
Chinese Name : 青果榕, 雜色榕
Family : MORACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins	South China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Hainan and Fujian. It is also distributed throughout Japan and Southeast Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Meanings of name	When observing the Common Red-stem Fig, people often impress that it is worthy of its Chinese name “Green Fruit Fig (青果榕)”. They are shocked by the large number of densely packed figs in green colour, which are arranged like an army of green soldiers protecting their fortress. Interestingly, these “green fruits” only grow from old branches and the trunk of the tree, in a growing pattern known as “cauliflory”. However, the figs of the Common Red-stem Fig are not limited to being green in colour. At maturity, the figs turn yellow or red, hence its other Chinese name “Variegated Fig (雜色榕)”. The species epithet “variegata” in its scientific name exactly refers to the “variegated” fruits in Latin.
Ecology	The Common Red-stem Fig not only provides shelters for fig wasps, but also acts as the host plant of Indian lac insect (Kerria lacca (Kerr, 1782)) and Common Mapwing (Cyrestis thyodamas (Doyere, 1840)). Additionally, the Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx (Vahl, 1797)) consumes the fruits of the Common Red-stem Fig for nourishment and helps spreading its seeds.

Traits for identification

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Remarks

Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=7309

Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Ficus variegata Blume
― Plants of the World Online : Ficus variegata Blume

Reference

• Ades, G. W. J. & Kendrick, R. C. (2004). Hong Kong Fauna: A Checklist of Selected Taxa. Fauna Conservation Department, Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden Corporation, Hong Kong.
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• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2020). Mammals. HK Species. Hong Kong Biodiversity Online. Conservation. Retrieved 21^st July 2020, from: https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/hkbiodiversity/speciesgroup/speciesgroup_mammals.html
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• eFloras. (2008). Ficus variegata Blume. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 21^st July 2020, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242322542
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• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Ficus variegata Blume 青果榕. Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 21^st July 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/FloraOfHK/Species/7309/7309_S_E.pdf
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