Ficus stricta (HT 2013 206)

Reference ID
HT 2013-206

Scientific name: Ficus stricta
Family name: Moraceae
Girth: 4.72 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 26.6 m

Location
Pulau Ubin, along Jalan Noordin,
near National Police Cadet
Corps (NPCC) Camp

Ficus stricta is lowland rainforest fig species that can reach up to 40 m in height. It has a wide, spreading crown, supported by aerial roots, and grey, smooth bark. Its leaves are smooth and leathery, ranging from elliptic, oblong to oval-shaped, each measuring up to 8- 14 cm long and 3.5 - 6 cm wide. Its smooth figs are borne along the axils in pairs, sometimes solitary, and turns from yellow, to orange, to dark red or pink to purple upon maturity. Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) were seen feeding on the figs.

This rare strangler fig species was recorded as native to Singapore in 2012, and the first specimen described in Singapore was discovered in Changi. It was only known in Changi and Pulau Ubin and it had previously been botanically uncollected and overlooked, and thus was a new record for Singapore. The species can also be found in Southern China, Myanmar, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Java.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile here.

Gallery

Overall shot of the Heritage Tree
(📷: Brendon Phuah)

Close-up of Heritage Tree's base near the path (📷: Brendon Phuah)