Ficus dammaropsis

Ficus dammaropsis, called kapiak in Tok Pisin, is a tropical fig tree with huge pleated leaves 60 cm (24 in) across. It is native to the highlands and highlands fringe of New Guinea. It generally grows at altitudes of between 850 and 2,750 metres (2,790 and 9,020 ft). Its fruit is edible but rarely eaten except as an emergency food. The young leaves are pickled or cooked and eaten as a vegetable with pig meat by highlanders.[1]

Ficus dammaropsis
Ficus dammaropsis showing large leaves and synconium (fruit)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Subgenus: F. subg. Sycomorus
Species:
F. dammaropsis
Binomial name
Ficus dammaropsis
Synonyms

Dammaropsis kingiana

A young highland breadfruit, centre, in Whangarei, New Zealand
Immature fruits at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Syconia (fruit) of the plant Ficus dammaropsis.

The lowland form of this species found commonly below 900 meters is recognized as a distinct species, Ficus brusii.

Cultivation

With its bold tropical leaves and relative tolerance of cold, F. dammaropsis is cultivated as an ornamental tree in frost-free climates.

References
  1. Ezedin, Z.; Weiblen, G.D. (2019-09-27). "Additions and changes to Ficus (Moraceae) in New Guinea with comments on the world's largest fig". Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. 71 (suppl.2): 197–216. doi:10.26492/gbs71(suppl.2).2019-15. ISSN 0374-7859.
  • R. Michael Bourke (nd). "Indigenous fruit in Papua New Guinea" (PDF). Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies. The Australian National University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  • R.N. Kambuou (1996). "Papua New Guinea: Country Report" (PDF). FAO International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources, (Leipzig,1996). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2008-06-19.


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