Yi ye rong
Ficus heteromorpha

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

A fig. It is a shrub or tree. It grows 2-5 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The bark is greyish brown. The small branches are reddish brown. The leafy growth at the base of the leaves is sword shaped and 1 cm long. The leaf stalk is 1.5-6 cm long. The leaf blade is oval or sword shaped and 10-18 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. The base is rounded and it can taper to the tip. The secondary veins are red and there are 6-15 on each side of the main vein. The figs are paired in the axils of short branches. They are purplish black when mature. They are round or cone shaped and without stalks. They are 0.6-1 cm across.

The leaves are fed to pigs. There are about 800-1000 Ficus species. They are mostly in the tropics. There are 120 Ficus species in tropical America.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in forests, valleys and mountain slopes in China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

In China plants flower in April and May and fruit in May to July.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ficus cavaleriei H. Leveille & Vaniot; Ficus cuneata H.Leveille & Vaniot; Ficus kouytchense H.Leveille & Vaniot; Ficus mairei H. Leveille; Ficus pinfaensis H.Leveille & Vaniot; Ficus xichouensis S.S.Chang;