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. sideroxylon, Teysm. The natives how- 

 ever certainly draw a distinction between some forms 

 calling £. Wallichii, Tampenis putih and S. siderox///on, 

 Tampenis 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, 

 etc. 



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. The 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, 



F. pisifera Wall. Small tree, figs white, common, Bukit Timah, 

 Bukit Mandai, Pulau Ubin. 



F. urophylla Wall " Ara Hupudeh." A shrub, often epiphytic 

 on other trees and sometimes killing them, figs small 

 orange. Very common, Tanglin, Bukit Timah, Chan 

 Chu Kang. 



(F. bengalcn sis L. A big tree, often planted.) 



