Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers., Moraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 3 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Ficus magnolioides Borzí

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Australian banyan, Lord Howe Island banyan, Moreton Bay fig, black fig

Habit:  tree

Description:  "The tree normally starts in forests as an epiphyte, ultimately strangling the host tree, although some seedlings may appear on the ground or in the crevices of rocks. The trees gradually reach large proportions, with immense buttresses, trunks up to 8 m or more in circumference, and branches both high and spreading. Aerial roots (if produced) grow mainly from large, framework branches near the ground, and these may produce a few extra trunks or props. The dormant buds are 3.6 to 7.6 cm long, green or slightly rusty, and finely pubescent. The two stipules are up to 15 cm long and 1.8 cm broad at the base when shed, and rusty-pubescent outside. The young twigs are green, glabrous, and generally short-jointed, with the new growth green or slightly rusty. The older twigs are gray; the bark of the larger branches and trunk is gray, dark gray, or nearly black on the very large trees; rough, with small pustules, or somewhat scaly on large trees. The alternate, equilateral leaves are 10.5 to 22.7 cm long and 7.5 to 12.6 cm broad, oblong-oval, the apex obtuse or broadly acuminate, and the base broad and rounded. Venation is not prominent below, with 1 or 2 basal pairs plus 16 to 20 pairs of laterals. The midrib is very light green, or almost white above, sometime tinged with scarlet. On young trees, the leaves are green, but lighter below; on older trees, the undersurface shows a rubiginous scurf which is conspicuous when viewed from below. The texture is coriaceous, the margins entire, and the petioles are very light green, 10.5 to 15 cm long, and slightly flattened above. The fruits are axillary and commonly geminate; the vegetative bud between them is not in evidence until the figs drop. The thick, club-shaped peduncle, 1.1 to 1.5 cm long, is enlarged into a pad at the base of the fruit. The figs are oval to oblong-spherical in shape, 1.1 to 1.8 cm in diameter, commonly somewhat greater in length. The greenish or purple-tinted surface is prominently decorated with large, yellowish-green flecks. It is smooth, or may be very sparsely puberulent. The three basal bracts are broad and obtuse. The small narrow umbilicus protrudes slightly from the rounded apex. The interior is white" (Condit, 1969; pp. 115-117).

Habitat/ecology:  A large tree that can cover a large area, shading out vegetation underneath.

Propagation:  Seed. A species-specific wasp (Pleistodontes froggatti Mayr) is necessary for pollination.

Native range:  Australia (Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Queensland); also cultivated (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 20) subsp. columnaris (C. Moore) P.S. Green. Vouchers cited: J. Game 69/228 (K), G. Uhe 1316 (K), M.M.J. van Balgooy 1110 (K), P.S. Green 1971 (K), C. Moore 56 (K, MEL).
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced cultivated	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 20) "Trees of subsp. macrophylla have been planted on Norfolk Island".
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 161375) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 665338) Taxon name on voucher: Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 78)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 000409-4 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. (2000) (p. 6) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H59912 (BISH), Oppenheimer H59919 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2006) (p. 12) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H30415 (BISH, PTBG)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 102) Voucher cited: MacKee 29489
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 115) Relic of cultivation.
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-8) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 080608-09
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2010) (pp. 64-65) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 080608-09 (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ficus macrophylla, please let us know.