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(Last Modified On 1/22/2013)
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(Last Modified On 1/22/2013)
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Species
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Ficus INSIPIDA Willd.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Sp. P1. ed. 4. 4:1143. 1806.
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Synonym
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Ficus glabrata HBK. Nov. Gen. & Spec. 2:47. 1818. Ficus adhatodaefolia Schott, ex Spreng. Syst. Veg. ed. 16. 4 (App.) :409. 1827. Ficus anthelminthica Mart. in Spix et Mart. Reise in Brasilien 3:1158. 1831. Pharmacosycea vermifuga Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. 7:70. 1848. Pharmacosycea angustifolia Liebm. in Kong. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. ser. 5. 2:333. 1851. Ficus vermifuga (Miq.) Miq. Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 3:300. 1867. Ficus segoviae Miq. loc. cit. 1867. Ficus radulina S. Wat. in Proc. Am. Acad. 26:151. 1891. Ficus krugiana Warb. in Urb. Symbol. Antill. 3:487. 1903. Ficus crassiuscula Warb. ex Standl. in Contrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. 20:12. 1917. Ficus werckleana Rossb. in Fedde, Repert. 42:60. 1937. Ficus boyacensis Dugand, in Caldasia 14:3 1. 1942. Ficus crassa K1. & Karst. ex Dugand, in Caldasia, 14:35-36. 1942. Ficus mexicana auct. non Miq.
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Description
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Large or small buttressed trees, 8-40 m. tall. Twigs 2-6 mm. in diameter, generally glabrous, with a thin reddish or greyish brown periderm. Stipules 30- 125 mm. long, narrowly deltoid, generally glabrous. Lamina 2-11 cm. wide X 5-25 cm. long, lanceolate to broadly elliptic, essentially glabrous, generally glossy above, sometimes slightly inequilateral; apex blunt or acute, to acuminate; base cuneate, round cuneate, rounded or emarginate; lateral veins 10-25 [-30] pairs, departing from the midrib at an angle of 400 or less; basal veins departing from the midrib at an angle from 300-600; intercostals slightly prominent. Petiole 10-65 mm. long, 1/3-1/S the length of the lamina, the epidermis not exfoliating, though frequently wrinkled. Figs 15-30 mm. in diameter, globose with or with- out a stalk above the basal bracts, 1-6 mm. long, glabrous or pubescent, borne among the leaves; color green or yellowish-green; peduncle 3-22 mm. long, thin or stout; basal bracts three, 1-3 (-5) mm. long, deltoid or semicircular; orifice flat, or somewhat crateriform or mammillate, 2-4 mm. in diameter, 1-2 mm. high.
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Habit
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trees
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Distribution
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Southern Mexico to Southern Brazil, in lowland forests.
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Specimen
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BOCAS DEL TORO: Almirante, Cooper 444. CANAL ZONE: upper Chilibre River, Seibert 15I2; Ancon, Piper 6oo6; Chagres River, Muenscher I2284, I229I; Ft. Sherman, Johnston 1510; Barro Colorado Island, Bailey & Bailey 479, Carpenter 3, Standley 4093I, Wetmore & Abbe I26. CHIRIQUI: Rio Dupi, Pittier 2539. COLON: Rio Fato, Pittier 3880. DARIEN: Boca de Cupe, Williams 679; Yaviza, Allen 4589.
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Note
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This is, undoubtedly, the most widely distributed of the Pharmacosyceas, though with the exception of one doubtful record it does not occur in the 'West Indies. It ranges, on the continent, from northwestern Mexico to Paraguay. In Mexico and Central America it seems to be a component of the arid or sub-arid forests- but, since Standley notes that figs are usually left standing when forests are cleared and since much of the accessible forest of Central America and Mexico is not virgin, it seems unwise to try to guess as to the natural habitat. Standley records, of the populations which he called "mexicana," that they were stranglers. This is, presumably, a very unusual state of affairs for any plant of this subgenus. Both Dugand (Caldasia 312:133-148. 1944) and Little (in sched.) report the use of the latex of this species as a vermifuge in Colombia. The south Brasilian vernacular name figueira purgante and Miquel's epithet vermifuga for material from this same area, suggests that its medicinal usage is widespread. In addition, Archer (in sched.) records that Para the latex is sometimes used in the coagulation of the latex of Hevea.
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