''Ficus asperifolia'' is a species of shrub or small sized gynodioecious fig tree belonging to the family

Moraceae Moraceae is a family of flowering plants comprising about 48 genera and over 1100 species, and is commonly known as the mulberry or fig family. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates; however, their ...

. It grows up to 6 m high and often has climbing branches.

Description

Leaves of the species are elliptical to obovate in shape, up to 20 cm long and 8 cm wide, apex is long and acuminate while base is cuneate to obtusely rounded. Leaves commonly have stipules; petiole is up to 1 cm long and margin tends to be lobed or dentate. Peduncles, 2–15 mm long, the figs are orange to purplish red, up to 2 cm in diameter and globular in shape; figs are sometimes paired or single on leaf axils.

Distribution and habitat

''Ficus asperifolia'' occurs in Senegal westwards to Sudan and Kenya and southwards to Zambia. It is found in savannahs and edges of

gallery forest A gallery forest is one formed as a corridor along rivers or wetlands, projecting into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed such as savannas, grasslands, or deserts. The gallery forest maintains a more temperate microclimate above th ...

Uses

In Cameroon dried fruit of the species are used in traditional medine to treate infertility, extracts of the species are also used to aid the wound healing process.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15472355 Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa asperifolia