Ficus asperifolia

Ficus asperifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Moraceae
Genus:	Ficus
Species:	F. asperifolia
Binomial name
	Ficus asperifolia; Miq.
Synonyms
	List Ficus acutifolia Hutch.; Ficus cnestrophylla Warb.; Ficus colpophylla Warb.; Ficus irumuensis De Wild.; Ficus manicariarum Standl.; Ficus paludicola Warb.; Ficus pendula Welw. ex Hiern; Ficus scolopophora Warb.; Ficus storthophylla Warb.; Ficus storthophylla var. cuneata De Wild.; Ficus urceolaris Welw. ex Hiern; Ficus urceolaris var. bumbana Hiern; Ficus warburgii H.J.P.Winkl.; Ficus xiphophora Warb.;

Ficus asperifolia is a species of shrub or small sized gynodioecious fig tree belonging to the family Moraceae.^[1]^[2] It grows up to 6 m high and often has climbing branches.^[3]

Description

Leaves of the species are elliptical to obovate in shape, up to 20 cm long and 8 cm wide, apex is long and acuminate while base is cuneate to obtusely rounded.^[4] Leaves commonly have stipules; petiole is up to 1 cm long and margin tends to be lobed or dentate.^[4] Peduncles, 2–15 mm long, the figs are orange to purplish red, up to 2 cm in diameter and globular in shape; figs are sometimes paired or single on leaf axils.^[4]^[5]

Distribution and habitat

Ficus asperifolia occurs in Senegal westwards to Sudan and Kenya and southwards to Zambia.^[1] It is found in savannahs and edges of gallery forests.^[5]

Uses

In Cameroon dried fruit of the species are used in traditional medine to treate infertility,^[1] extracts of the species are also used to aid the wound healing process.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Watcho, Pierre; Meli Watio, Hermine; Wankeu-Nya, Modeste; Ngadjui, Esther; Deeh Defo, Patrick; Nkeng-Efouet, Pepin Alango; Nguelefack, Telesphore Benoit; Kamanyi, Albert (2017). "Androgenic effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ficus asperifolia in male Wistar rats". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 17 (1): 42. doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1547-5. ISSN 1472-6882. PMC 5237287. PMID 28086774.
^ Verkerke, W., L987(a). Ovule dimorphism in ficus asperifolia Miquel . Acta Bot.Neer-I . 36: L2L-L24
^ Beentje, H. J. (1988). "Fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) of Kenya". Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum. 76 (198): 53–76.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ndolo Ebika, S. T.; Morgan, D.; Sanz, C.; Harris, D. J. (2018-08-09). "Ficus Species in the Sangha Trinational, Central Africa". Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 75 (3): 377–420. doi:10.1017/S0960428618000173. ISSN 1474-0036.
^ ^a ^b Arbonnier, Michel; Arbonnier, Michel (2004). Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD. Weikersheim: Margraf Publ. pp. 397–400. ISBN 978-3-8236-1419-7.

[:0-1] Watcho, Pierre; Meli Watio, Hermine; Wankeu-Nya, Modeste; Ngadjui, Esther; Deeh Defo, Patrick; Nkeng-Efouet, Pepin Alango; Nguelefack, Telesphore Benoit; Kamanyi, Albert (2017). "Androgenic effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ficus asperifolia in male Wistar rats". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 17 (1): 42. doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1547-5. ISSN 1472-6882. PMC 5237287. PMID 28086774.

[2] Verkerke, W., L987(a). Ovule dimorphism in ficus asperifolia Miquel . Acta Bot.Neer-I . 36: L2L-L24

[3] Beentje, H. J. (1988). "Fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) of Kenya". Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum. 76 (198): 53–76.

[:1-4] Ndolo Ebika, S. T.; Morgan, D.; Sanz, C.; Harris, D. J. (2018-08-09). "Ficus Species in the Sangha Trinational, Central Africa". Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 75 (3): 377–420. doi:10.1017/S0960428618000173. ISSN 1474-0036.

[:2-5] Arbonnier, Michel; Arbonnier, Michel (2004). Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD. Weikersheim: Margraf Publ. pp. 397–400. ISBN 978-3-8236-1419-7.

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