144 THE FLORA OF SINGAPORE 
according to the age of the tree. Young shoots from an 
old stump usually have large leaves, and it seems to me 
that S. penangiana Oliv and S. Wallichii King are 
mere states of S. siderorylon, Teysm. The natives how- 
ever certainly draw a distinction between some forms 
calling S. Wallichii, Tampenis putih and S. siderory/on, 
‘'ampenis Merah, i.e. red and white Tampenis. The 
plant flowers very readily, even seedlings in a pot 
sometimes flower and fruit when only a foot and a_ half 
tall. The fruit is a soft white drupe enclosed in the four 
thickened white sepals, These are sweet and eatable 
and any pressure on them ejects the fruit to some 
distance so that if a bird attempts to eat them the fruit 
is thrown out. 
Common in dry woods, open country, etc., especially the 
broad leaved var. penangiana. Tanglin, Chan Chu Kang, Changi, 
ete. 
Ficus. The figs are tolerably well represented here, no less than 
35 species occurring in the island. They comprise creep- 
ing shrubs, big climbers, erect shrubs from two feet tall 
to trees of great size. The figs, none of which here are 
eatable, are sought for by birds, especially pigeons, bul- 
buls and starlings, and by fruit-bats, which frequent the 
trees when in fruit in great numbers, and distribute the 
seeds everywhere. ‘he common Malay name for any 
species of Ficus is “ Ara.” ‘“Sipadik” is applied to many 
scandent species, and “ Kelampong” to such trees as 
bear the figs clustered on the stem. Most of the trees 
are of rapid growth with soft valueless timber, 
I. pisifera Wall. Small tree, figs white, common, Bukit Timah, 
Bukit Mandai, Pulau Ubin. 
F. uwrophylia Wall. ‘Ara Supudeh.” A shrub, often epiphytic 
on other trees and sometimes killing them, figs small 
orange. Very common, Tanglin, Bukit Timah, Chan 
Chu Kane. 
(I. bengalensis L. A big tree, often planted.) 
