Ficus yoponensis
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| Species: | F. yoponensis
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Ficus multinervis Pittier | |
Ficus yoponensis is a species of fig tree found in Central and South America. It is fast growing and can reach heights of 40–50 metres (130–160 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of 1 metre (3.3 ft). The trunk is buttressed, light grey in colour and reasonably smooth. Its petioles are 1–2.5 centimetres (0.39–0.98 in) long, the stipules are straight and 3–5 centimetres (1.2–2.0 in) long. The leaves and stems are hairless. The leaves are 6–11 centimetres (2.4–4.3 in) long and 2.5–4 centimetres (0.98–1.57 in) wide, but larger in juveniles, being up to 28 centimetres (11 in) long and 5 centimetres (2.0 in) wide. Like all figs, the flowers are enclosed inside the fig and can only be accessed by fig wasps which enter to pollinate the flowers and lay their own eggs. The resulting fruit grows to 1.8 centimetres (0.71 in) in diameter and turns from green to purple with age. The fruits are eaten and dispersed by bats.[2][3] It is similar in appearance to Ficus insipida but has smaller leaves and stipules and only occurs in primary forest whereas F. insipida is also found in secondary forest.[3]
Distribution
Ficus yoponensis is found in Central and South America from Chiapas in Mexico in the North to Colombia and Venezuela in the South. It grows from sea level to 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) above sea level but is usually found between 500 to 1,200 metres (1,600 to 3,900 ft).[2] Along with F. insipida it is one of the two most abundant species of fig tree found on Barro Colorado Island, Panama.[4]
Ecology
The stipules and fruits are collected by the leaf cutter ant, Atta colombica.[5]
Various invertebrates live in water filled holes which leaf litter falls in to and then as it decomposes provides food for the animals. The leaves F. yoponensis of soften quickly after falling into the holes and are then eaten by Scirtid beetle larvae, leaving only a skeleton behind. An experiment, where leaves of F. yoponensis were added to an artificial pool containing 650 ml of water in the rainforest found that 16 species lived in them, with the mosquito Culex mollis being the most abundant. [6]
References
- ^ "Ficus yoponensis Desv". The Plant List. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ a b Thomas B. Croat (1978). Flora of Barro Colorado Island. Stanford University Press. pp. 350–. ISBN 9780804709507. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ a b Richard Condit; Rolando Pérez; Nefertaris Daguerre (8 November 2010). Trees of Panama and Costa Rica. Princeton University Press. pp. 325–. ISBN 9780691147109. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ Martin L. Cody; Jeffrey A. Smallwood (1996). Long-term studies of vertebrate communities. Academic Press. pp. 542–. ISBN 9780121780753. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ Rainer Wirth (2003). Herbivory of leaf-cutting ants: a case study on Atta colombica in the tropical rainforest of Panama. Springer. pp. 96–. ISBN 9783540438960. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1007/s004420050843, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with
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External links
- Ficus yoponensis at Discover Life, including photographs.