Ficus stipulata Thunb.
A climber with clinging roots and white to brownish short hair on young shoots. Leaves dimorphic, with 8-25 mm long, villous to glabrescent petiole; lamina coriaceous, ovate-oblong, 4-10 cm long, 2.5-6 cm broad, 3-5-costate at the ± cordate base, entire, obtuse to subacute, glabrescent above, finely white-villous beneath, lateral nerves 3-6 pairs, strongly bulging below, intercostals present, slightly bulged; stipules appeased hairy. cystoliths present on lower side only. Hypanthodia on erect fruiting branches, generally solitary axillary, sessile to shortly pedunculate, subgloboae to pyriform or obovoid-turbinate, 2.5-5 cm long, 2-3 cm in diameter, greenish yellow, minutely villose to glabrescent, subtended by ovate-lanceolate, 5-7 mm long, appressed hairy basal bracts, apical orifice umbonate, internal bristles copious, short. Male flowers: large, numerous, in several whorls; sepals 4-6; stamens 2-3. Female flowers: sessile to long-pedicelled; ovary sessile with long, simple lateral style. Figs obovoid turbinate, 3.5-7 cm long, purple-black, glabrous to glaucous.
Type: “Habitat in China, Japonia”.
Distribution: A native of China and Japan, S.E. Asia; introduced elsewhere.
Parker, l.c. reports it to be grown in gardens in the plants for covering walls. The author has, however, seen no material from the flora area.