Ficus opposita

Sweet sandpaper fig
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Subgenus: F. subg. Sycidium
Species:
F. opposita
Binomial name
Ficus opposita
Synonyms[2]
  • Ficus androbrota Summerh.
  • Ficus apolepomena Summerh.
  • Ficus branderhorstii Diels
  • Ficus conjugata Miq.
  • Ficus cumingii var. androbrota (Summerh.) Corner
  • Ficus dichroa Summerh.
  • Ficus fitzalanii Miq.
  • Ficus radula Banks ex Hiern, nom. illeg. homonym. post.
  • Ficus xerophila Domin
  • Ficus yarrabensis Domin

Ficus opposita is one of several fig species commonly known as sandpaper figs. Other common names include sweet sandpaper fig,[3] sweet fig[3] and the ambiguous "figwood" and "watery fig".[4] It is native to New Guinea, the Indonesian island of Java, and to Queensland in Australia.[2][1]

It grows as either a shrub or small tree.[3] As the figs ripen, their colour changes from green to yellow to reddish-brown and finally, to black.[3] The fruit is edible and palatable, tastier than most other fig species.[5]

It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the Queensland butterfly the common- or purple moonbeam (Philiris innotatus).[6]

The leaves on this plant can treat skin infections such as tinea.

Shown to hybridise with Ficus coronulata.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Barker, A. (2021). "Ficus opposita". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T169389866A169484359. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T169389866A169484359.en. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Ficus opposita Miq". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Low, T. (1991). Wild Food Plants Of Australia. Australia: Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0-207-16930-6.
  4. ↑ "Ficus opposita". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  5. ↑ Lindsay, Lenore (March 1992). "Fancy a feast? Try a fig". Australian Plants. 16 (130): 251–52.
  6. ↑ Braby, Michael F. (2005). The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 0-643-09027-4.
  7. ↑ Wilde, Brendan C.; Rutherford, Susan; Merwe, Marlien van der; Murray, Megan L.; Rossetto, Maurizio (15 July 2020). "First example of hybridisation between two Australian figs (Moraceae)". Australian Systematic Botany. 33 (5): 436–445. doi:10.1071/SB19048. ISSN 1446-5701. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
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