''Ficus superba'', also known as sea fig or deciduous fig, is a hemiepiphytic tree of genus ''

Ficus ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family (biology), family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few spe ...

''. It is one of the species known as banyans or "strangler figs" because of its potential to grow as a hemi-epiphyte and eventually progress to the strangling habit of species in this subgenus. It is, however, not an obligate hemi-epiphyte and can be found growing as single stemmed trees in forests. It is found in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, as well as various parts of

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

, such as

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

Kalimantan Kalimantan (; ) is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It constitutes 73% of the island's area, and consists of the provinces of Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan. The non-Ind ...

, the

Lesser Sunda Islands The Lesser Sunda Islands (, , ), now known as Nusa Tenggara Islands (, or "Southeast Islands"), are an archipelago in the Indonesian archipelago. Most of the Lesser Sunda Islands are located within the Wallacea region, except for the Bali pro ...

, Moluccas, Seram Island, and

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...

. According to E.J.H. Corner, if this fig germinates in a boulder field its roots can extend "extraordinary distances, up to several hundred feet" over and between the rocks.

Varieties and synonyms

The variety '' Ficus superba var. henneana'' grows in

where it may reach 35 metres tall. Other varieties have now been reclassified as synonyms: * ''F. superba'' var. ''alongensis'' (Gagnep.) Corner is a synonym of '' Ficus alongensis'' Gagnep. * ''F. superba'' var. ''japonica'' Miq. is a synonym of '' Ficus subpisocarpa'' Gagnep.The ''Plant List'' (retrieved 17 January 2020)
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Gallery

File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 01.jpg, New buds. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 03.jpg, New bud with bud scales. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 07.jpg, The leaves turn golden before falling. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 25.jpg, The leaves fall 2 to 4 times a year. It only takes about 2 weeks to grow new leaves after deciduous leaves. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20200912073054 01.jpg, Immatured syconus. It is red when mature. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20200912073054 02.jpg, The syconus grow densely. It's the food that the birds like. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 12.jpg, Tree trunk and aerial roots. File:雀榕 Ficus superba var. japonica 20210717091156 24.jpg, Tree trunk and aerial roots.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5446647 superba Trees of China Trees of Japan Flora of tropical Asia Trees of Australia Epiphytes Taxa named by Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel