MORACBAE 173 



Species 800 or more in all tropical countries, few in -warm temperate 

 regions, about 100 in the Philippines. 



A very large and polymorphous genus, many species being erect shrubs 

 or trees, a few unbranched, others being vines, and very many having a 

 "strangling" habit, starting on some other tree, with a vine-like habit, even- 

 tually killing the supporting host and assuming a tree-like habit. 



The receptacles are sometimes unisexual, but more often bear both male 

 and female flowers, the former usually among or near the scales at the 

 orifice. In addition to the male and female flowers, gall-flowers similar 

 to the latter, but with the ovary occupied by the pupa of an Hymenopteroua 

 insect, are usually present. 



1. Erect unbranched shrubs with large leaves up to 80 cm long crowded at 



the ends of the trunk 1. F. pseudopalma 



1. Branched shrubs or trees with leaves less than 40 cm long. 

 2. Receptacles borne on the trunk and larger branches on special, 



branched, leafless inflorencences 2. F. nota 



2. Receptacles in the leaf-axils, or in the axils or fallen leaves, solitary, 

 in pairs, or fascicled. 

 3. Leaves harsh and rough to the touch, often variously toothed or 

 lobed, sometimes entire or nearly so. 

 4. Leaves very strongly obliquely cordate, fragrant in drying; re- 

 ceptacles densely hirsute 3. F. odorata 



4. Leaves not obliquely cordate; receptacles glabrous or "somewhat 

 hispid. 



6. Leaves alternate 4. F. ulmifolia 



,B. Leaves opposite .- 5. F. eumingii 



S. Leaves smooth, not at all roughened, always entire. 



5. An erect shrub or small tree with more or less angled or ridged 



receptacles 6. F. hauili 



5. Trees or shrubs starting as epiplytes and eventually strangling 



their host, assuming a tree-like form; receptacles globosS or 



ovoid, not ridged or angled. 



6. Receptacles numerous, borne on the branchlets below the 



leaves in the axils of fallen leaves; leaves 12 to 20 cm 



long, long-petioled -7- ^- stipuloaa 



6. Receptacles solitary or in pairs in the leaf-axils, 

 7. Leaves very densely nerved, the nerves parallel, close, the 

 secondary ones as prominent as the primary ones. 

 8. Leaves 15 to 25 cm long; stipules very large^ thin, red, 



deciduous; cultivated only.: •— 8. F. elastica 



8 Leaves less than 15 cm long; stipules small, inconspi- 

 cuous 9- ^- benjamina 



7. Primary nerves distant, much more prominent than the 

 secondary ones. 

 8 Petioles 6 to 12 mm long; leaves very coriaceous; recep- 

 tacles sessile '■ l". F. indica 



8 Petioles up to S.5 cm long; leaves chartaceous; receptacles 



shortly peduncled H- ^- ooncinna 



1. FIcus pseudopalma Blanco. Niog-niog, Niog-niogan (Tag.); Lamiog, 



A^S^Sus, unbranched shrub 2 to 6 high, the trunk 4 to 6 

 cm in diameter, with prominent leaf-scars. Leaves crowded at the end of 



