Ficus tettensis
Small-leaved Rock Fig
High on the Lebombo mountains east of Mopane, this Small-leaved Rock-fig thrives in a seemingly impossible landscape. The tree is lithophytic, and characteristic of hot, dry terrain. The species inevitably loses its foliage in the dry seasons.
The leafless winter form reveals specific design features. Note the dense, thickened branchlets, and the pale cream-coloured bark.
Ficus tettensis is lithophytic, staying well out of reach of fires.
Johna admires a magnificent specimen that germinated on a rock, its roots cascading down to locate moisture and nutrients. This tree shows a robust trunk, and the dense foliage are typical of the species in mid-summer.
This fig species never has aerial roots.
Colour of the bark of Ficus tettensis varies from a pale cream colour to a greenish yellow. Sections of bark may lift off in large flakes in mature trees.
Note the comparison between Ficus abutilifolia on the left and F. tettensis on the right. F. abutilifolia has highly visible whitish bark, standing out particularly strongly against a dark rock face.
The different appearances of bark colour separates the two species when viewed from afar while hiking in the bush.
F. abutilifolia also has significantly larger leaves than the Small-leaved Rock-fig, and its leaf margins are not wavy.
The Small-leaved Rock Fig on the right germinated on rock under forest canopy, and has spread itself dramatically over the rock face, successfully seeking sunlight.
'Small-leaved Rock Fig' is an appropriate name. Among fig species, the leaves of Ficus tettensis are relatively small, and sometimes wider than they are long. Maximum length is about 10 cm.
Leaves are distinctive in shape, being rounded with a small tip at the apex, and a cordate, or deeply lobed base. The margin is entire and wavy. Note the fringe of tiny hairs along the margins.
The leaf is multi-veined from the base, and the side veins loop inwards, and join short of the leaf margin. The leaf surface is velvety, sometime quite harshly so.
Note too, the large pale brown stipules at base of the petiole. Stipules fall early.
Venation is strongly raised on the underside of the leaf, standing out against the pale silvery-green of of the leaf surface.
The leaves are often densely velvety below, with silvery hairs, particularly early season leaves.
Note, too, the stipular scars encircling the stem.
Figs are borne in pairs, or singly, in the axils of leaves. They are relatively small, about 1 cm across at maturity.
The figs are sessile or sub-sessile (virtually stalkless). The surface is puberulous, covered with tiny whitish hairs. The ostiole may be slightly raised, but not significantly so.
Note the small pale warts, above left, that cover the green figs, like little dots.
These trees fruit from late summer, through winter and into the next mid-summer. The image of new, green fruit on the left was taken in February and the ripe fruit on the right was in early January of a year.
Nigeriella excavata is the tiny female pollinating wasp for Ficus tettensis trees. These wasps have very short life spans, and they need figs in which to reproduce and pollinate. Fruiting of trees in this species is therefore staggered. How does this tiny wasp, leaving a fig on one tree, locate the next tree with figs ready for pollination, when these trees can be scarce in a landscape?
To explore this fascinating subject, go to the Learning Pod called Figs, Wasps and Reproduction.
A glorious late-afternoon sight!
This tree stands on a ridge in the Shantangalani range of sandstone hills about 13 kilometres (direct) from the Punda Maria rest camp. The terrain is typical of this species.
Distribution . . .
Ficus tettensis is relatively common on sandstone ridges in the Punda Maria sub-region, extending more sporadically down the eastern border past Shingwedzi and into the Lebombo mountains east of the Mopane rest camp. Trees may occur in the rugged terrain east of Olifants.
We have found a few specimens west of Tzendze, north of Phalaborwa, and the species occurs in the Blyde Nature Reserve.
The species does have preferred geologies, such as sandstone, but does not appear to avoid any specific rock types.
The maximum altitude for this species is about 1,000 metres. At higher altitudes, trees can be found on dry rocky outcrops, along cliffs and in clefts in rocks.
Sir John Kirk, a physician and keen botanist, first collected this species in Tete in Mozambique. He was second in command of Livingstone's exploring expedition up the Zambesi. The Kirkia genus was named after him, as was Kirk's gazelle and many other species.
