Ficus exasperata
Ficus exasperata
Safety & Hazards
Although the leaf is sometimes recorded to be poisonous to goats and sheep, it is often fed to ruminants, especially in Ghana[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The stem bark and the leaf are ingredients of arrow-poisons[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].
Botanical Description
Forest sandpaper fig is a deciduous tree usually growing up to 21 metres tall, but with occasional specimens up to 30 metres[ 308 Title Flora Zambesiaca Publication Author Website http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants. , 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. The slightly crooked bole is up to 50cm in diameter; it can be fluted or buttressed[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ , 364 Title Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. Publication Author Lovett J.C.; Ruffo C.K.; Gereau R.E.; Taplin J.R.D Website http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/introduction.htm Publisher Frontier Year 0 ISBN 1-873070-33-0 Description A lovely little book giving a basic identification guide to more than 650 species of trees growing in Tanzania. It is also available to view on the internet. ]. The plant often begins life as an epiphyte, growing in the branch of another tree; as it grows older it sends down aerial roots which, when they reach the ground quickly form roots and become much thicker and more vigorous. They supply nutrients to the fig, allowing it to grow faster than the host tree. The aerial roots gradually encircle the host tree, preventing its main trunk from expanding, whilst at the same time the foliage smothers the foliage of the host. Eventually the host dies, leaving the fig to carry on growing without competition. The tree is very widely used in traditional medicine in Africa, being commonly harvested from the wild for local use and also being sold in local markets. The tree also has several other local uses, the leaves being employed as a sandpaper, the plant having insect repellent properties and the wood also being used. Ficus exasperata has been used to provide shade in plantations and is planted as an avenue shade tree[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].