Chinese Banyan, Small-fruited Fig

Scientific Name : Ficus microcarpa L. f.
Common Name : Chinese Banyan, Small-fruited Fig
Chinese Name : 細葉榕, 榕樹, 萬年青
Family : MORACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species

Anecdotes on plants

Ecology	Chinese Banyan is native species in Hong Kong, and is also one of the common species in Fung Shui Wood, providing food and shelter for the local birds and other creatures. Its aerial roots will be lignified and developed into a “new trunk” supporting the crown after reaching the ground. Chinese Banyan shares a mutualistic relationship with fig wasps. Chinese Banyan must be pollinated by the fig wasps for fruiting, while the gall flowers of Chinese Banyan provide hosting places for fig wasps to spawn.
Applications	Since the crown of the species is extremely broad, it can provide shelter to people during the hot summer. As a result, the species is widely cultivated as street trees for shade.
Vitality & Sabotage	The species has extremely strong vitality. Its aerial roots can drill into the micro spaces of a variety of media for growth, which could potentially cause damage to the structure of buildings. Furthermore, Chinese Banyan can be infected by the fungus Phellinus noxius (Corner) G. Cunn., leading to the Brown Root Rot Disease (BRRD) and endangering the structure and health of trees.
Old and Valuable Trees (OVTs)	Cultivation of Chinese Banyan is historical in Hong Kong. Currently in total of 223 individuals of Chinese Banyan are registered as OVTs. For details, please visit the following website – https://ovt.greening.gov.hk/listtree.aspx?m=13&q=l&qt=3&species_id=368

Traits for identification

Previous Slide

Stop / PlayNext Slide

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=3055
Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Ficus microcarpa Linnaeus f.
― Plants of the World Online : Ficus microcarpa L.f.

Reference

• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2018). A Photographic Guide to Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong. 3^rd edition. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong. ISBN: 978-988-12021-3-0.
• Ann, P. J., Chang, T. T. & Ko, W. H. (2002). Phellinus noxius Brown Root Rot of Fruit and Ornamental Trees in Taiwan. Plant Disease, 86(8), 820-826. Retrieved 23^rd April 2020, from: https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS.2002.86.8.820
• Chang, T. T. (1995). Decline of nine tree species associated with brown root rot caused by Phellinus noxius in Taiwan. Plant Disease, 79(9), 962-965. Retrieved 23^rd April 2020, from: https://www.apsnet.org/publications/plantdisease/backissues/Documents/1995Articles/PlantDisease79n09_962.PDF
• Development Bureau. (2017). Species name: Ficus microcarpa, Listing - By Species. Old and Valuable Trees in Hong Kong. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: https://ovt.greening.gov.hk/listtree.aspx?m=13&q=l&qt=3&species_id=368
• Doğanlar, M. (2012). Occurrence of fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) in Ficus caria and F. microcarpa in Hatay, Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 36(5), 721-724. Retrieved 23^rd April 2020, from: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/resources/research-curation/projects/chalcidoids/pdf_X/Doganl2012.pdf
• eFloras. (2008). Ficus microcarpa Linnaeus f. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006364
• Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section (GLTMS), Development Bureau. (2014). Management Guidelines for Mature Trees. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: https://www.greening.gov.hk/filemanager/greening/common/pdf/tree_care/Paper_Mature_Trees_(finalised_and_issued)_e.pdf
• Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section (GLTMS), Development Bureau. (2019). Manual on the Management of Brown Root Rot Disease. Retrieved 23^rd April 2020, from: https://www.greening.gov.hk/filemanager/greening/common/pdf/knowledge_database/Manual-on-the-Management-of-Brown-Root-Rot-Disease.pdf
• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Ficus microcarpa L.f. 榕樹(細葉榕). Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/FloraOfHK/Species/3055/3055_S_E.pdf
• Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium. (2020). Ficus microcarpa L.f. 細葉榕. Factsheet. Taxonomical Archive System. Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Native Plant Resources and Database in Hong Kong. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: https://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/collections/factsheet/ficus-microcarpa/
• Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium. (2020). Ficus microcarpa L.f. 細葉榕. Pro-Factsheet. Taxonomical Archieve System. Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Native Plant Resources and Database in Hong Kong. Retrieved 24^th March 2020, from: https://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/collections/factsheet-pro/ficus-microcarpa/
• 中國科學院仙湖植物園。（2017）。《深圳植物誌》（第1卷）。北京 : 中國林業出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5038-8951-6。
• 中國科學院植物誌編輯委員會。（1959-2004）。〈榕樹Ficus microcarpa L. f.〉。《中國植物誌》。[網上版本]。於2020年3月24日擷取自 : http://www.iplant.cn/info/ficus%20microcarpa?t=z
• 中國科學院華南植物園。（1987）。《廣東植物誌》（第1卷）。廣州 : 廣東科技出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5359-5079-6。
• 章錦瑜。（2008）。〈探討樹木之地表氣生根對硬體造成的根害〉。《林業研究季刊》，30（2），65-74，2008。於2020年4月23日擷取自 : https://la.thu.edu.tw/uploads/journal_paper_file/journal_file/5b7c3789208f8862350000a9/16_491bb2f1.pdf
• 賈效成、陳貽竹、趙南先。（2004）。〈榕屬與榕小蜂科的分類研究進展〉。《廣西植物》，24（5），407-410。於2020年4月23日擷取自 : http://www.guihaia-journal.com/ch/reader/create_pdf.aspx?file_no=20040505&year_id=2004&quarter_id=5&falg=1
• 漁農自然護理署香港植物標本室、中國科學院華南植物園。（2015）。《香港植物誌》（第1卷）。香港 : 漁農自然護理署。國際標準書號 : 978-988-12021-9-2。
• 鳳園蝴蝶保育區。（2019）。《鳳園生態系列 — 風水林植物（大埔及鳳園地區篇）》。香港 : 環保協進會，鳳園蝴蝶保育區。國際標準書號 : 978-988-15272-8-8。
• 黎存志、葉彥、葉國樑、魏遠娥、廖家業。（2008）。《香港野外樹木圖鑑》。香港 : 漁農自然護理署。國際標準書號 : 978-988-99377-3-7。