Ee Utims ins: tn 
Aveust 25, 1914] A Fascicte or Norta Acusan Fics 9391 
end of a steep densely forested ravine at 1750 feet altitude. 
This group of fig trees with large fruits hanging from stem 
tubercles the Manobos as well as the Bagobos call ''Basicong."? 
Apparently nearest allied to Ficus corona King. 
Ficus barnesii Merr. 
Field-note: —Tree-like shrub; stem solitary or occasionally 
clustered, 5 inches thick, 15 to 20 feet high, terete, but 
crooked, branched from below the middle; main branches 
spreading, rebranched, the lax twigs ascendingly curved; wood 
quite odorless and tasteless, whitish, very soft; bark smooth, 
gray, covered with dark brown lenticels, freely bleeding with 
a thin molasses-like sap; leaves pendant, nearly flat, paler 
green beneath, the petioles brown; figs upon 1 to 2 yards 
long flexible drooping and rebranched tubercles, at least 1 
inch across, obovoidly globose, deep green except the shaded 
nether or yellowish side, roughened with scattered dark brown 
small excrescences or large lenticels, shallowly sunken at the 
umbilicus, the upper umbilical scales grayish. ‘‘Basicong’’ in 
Manobo. 
Represented by number 13868, Elmer, Cabadbaran (Mt. 
Urdaneta), Province of Agusan, Mindanao, September, 1912. 
This species is very common in the lowlands among 
secondary forests and in relatively dry compact soil along 
the Minusuang river at 500 feet altitude. Its figs when in 
the right mature state are eaten by the natives and really have’ 
a good figy flavor, 
The writer has always thought of the possibility that 
some of our. soft skinned wild figs might be brought to 
a state of economic usefulness. Take for instance Ficus 
cassidyana Elm. which only grows to be a small tree, yet 
I have seen it bear figs four inches in diameter. Other 
tree species of groups mr and iv or section Covellia also 
have large fruits. See Prof. Bakers study on the caprifica- 
tion of Ficus nota (Blco.) Merr. 
The fruits of this species or Ficus barnesii Merr. as well 
as that of Ficus nota (Blco.) Merr. and Ficus areneta Elm. 
occasionally bleed with clear watery sap, so abundant at times 
to form small pools ón the ground. The periods of this 
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