Ficus virgata
The white fig tree is one of the most common fig trees in Taiwan. It is a semi-epiphytic evergreen shrub or tree. One of its most striking features is its large leaves, which often exceed 10 cm in length when mature and are clearly asymmetrical. The shape of the leaves varies greatly.
The white fig is a dioecious plant, with small flowers growing inside the syconium formed by the receptacle. Its phenological characteristics are closely related to its interaction with fig wasps. Male trees produce fruits continuously throughout the year, allowing the wasp population to thrive. Female trees, however, do not have a continuous fruiting period and only produce fruits during warm seasons to aid seed development and provide more opportunities for seed dispersal by fruit-eating animals. To meet the nutritional requirements for seed development, female figs are larger in size and weight than male figs. Mature figs exhibit vibrant orange-yellow or orange-red hues and emit a sweet fragrance, attracting a variety of bird species to feed on them, making them a favored food source for many avian species. Afterwards seeds can be dispersed through birds’ droppings to expand its distribution range.
The white fig tree has a wide distribution range, native to eastern Asia and the western Pacific region, with its northern boundary at the southernmost islands of Japan. It is found in the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi, the Moluccas), Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Polynesia, and Queensland in northern Australia. In Taiwan, it can be found from lowland areas to low-altitude mountain regions, and even on the offshore island of Orchid Island. It prefers warm and humid environments. In this museum, it is cultivated in the Orchid Island Area, the Northern Lowland Area, and the Monsoon Rain Forest Area of the Botanical Garden, primarily near ponds and waterways.