Plant of the month April,2011
Eng (thai)

 

 

Ficus deltoidea var. kunstleri (King) Corner, Gard. Bull. Singapore 17: 423. 1960.
Moraceae

Description: Shrub to small tree, terrestrial or epiphyte, 3–5 m tall, twigs zigzag, glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged, broadly obovate to obobovate-oblong, 1–8 cm long; apex rounded; base acute, obtuse or cunete; blade leathery, reddish brown to greenish brown below; midrib forked above or below the middle point; lateral nerves pinnate; tertiary nerves reticulate; often with waxy black glands at base and between forked midrib; petioles 0.5–3 cm long, minute hairy. Syconiums simple or a pair, axillary, rounded 1–1.5 cm diam., pale green, yellow, pinkish to reddish purple; peduncle ca 1 cm long, minute hairy. Bracts 3, triangular, 1–2 mm long, ciliolate; ostiole ca 1.5 mm diam., sparsely hairy inside. Tepals freshy.

 

Distribution: Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and lower peninsular Thailand, recorded from Yala and Narathiwat in evergreen forest, to ca 1,000 m, commonly cultivated as ornamental and medicinal plants.

Notes: Last updated on 27 December 2016.

Thai name: มอจะเต๊ะ (Mo cha te-Malaya)

Photos: Rachun Pooma (Bangkok, cultivated)

References: 
Corner, E. J. H. 1960. Taxonomic notes on Ficus Linn., Asia and Australia, The Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 17: 420–425.