Ficus palmata

Ficus palmata Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.- Arab. 179. 1775; Brandis, Ind. trees 607. 1906; Corner, Gard. Bull. 21(1): 36. 1965; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2: 460. 1921 (Reprint 1980); Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 481. 1918 (Reprint 1973); King in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 530. 1890; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 597. 1999; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 589. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 652. 2006.

A deciduous shrub or small tree, up to 10 m tall. Trunk and branches without aerial roots; bark smooth, brownish-grey, young twigs densely pubescent or tomentose. Leaves alternate, very much variable; petiole 2-6.5 cm long, with adaxial groove, densely and softly tomentose; leaf blade broadly ovate or orbicular, 2.5-17 cm x 2.5-15 cm, mostly undivided or sometimes palmately 3-5-partite, margin dentate to +/- serrate, apex acute or +/- obtuse, base broadly rounded or cordate, 3-(-5)-veined, 3-6 secondary veins on each side of midvein, raised below, intercostals parallel to zigzag; adaxial surface scabrid or pubescent, abaxially tomentose especially on veins. Stipules 8-10 mm x ca. 7 mm, ovate-triangular, acute or acuminate, softly pubescent, caducous leaving scar on stem above leaf. Hypanthodia solitary or sometimes paired, axillary, on 0.5-2.5 cm long pubescent peduncle, subglobose to pyriform, 1.2-2.0 cm x 1.2- 2.0 cm, tomentose, subtended by 3 deltoid acute basal bracts; apical orifice umbonate with many apical bracts surrounding ostiole. Male flowers: Numerous in the upper half, pedicellate, pedicel 3-5 mm long, puberulent. Sepals 4-5, 3-4 mm long, free, lanceolate, hairy. Stamens 3-(-6), anthers oblong, ca. 2 mm x 1.2 mm, filament small. Female flowers: Numerous, basal, pedicellate, pedicel ca. 1 mm long; Sepals 4-5, basally connate, ca. 2 mm long, hairy. Ovary ovoid with subterminal or terminal long hairy style; stigma orange coloured. Gall flowers similar to female flowers. Figs constricted or gradually narrowed at base, 1.5-2.5 cm long, yellow or purple, hairy.

Flowering and Fruiting: May to November
Common Names: Punjab Fig, Wild Fig; Anjiri, Jungli Anjir, Khemri, Bedu (Hindi)