Traditional uses and benefits of Drooping fig

The drooping fig, or Ficus semicordata, is a small to medium-sized fodder tree in the Moraceae family of the genus Ficus. Native to Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Kashmir), the plant can be found all the way east to Malaya via India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. It is found in the tropical countries of Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and other parts of Central and South America. Popular common names for the plant include semicordate fig, Himalayan fig, and drooping fig. It produces eatable fruit. The figs on the lower portions of the branchless sections may grow in humus and leaf litter before being buried in the soil’s surface, where the seeds sprout. If not, the seeds are dispersed by birds and other animals.

This is the genus name for fig, as it is known in Latin. With more than 800 species of trees, shrubs, and vines, many of which are widely recognized as figs, the Ficus genus is very large. The plant is included in this wide and ecologically significant category because of the usage of “Ficus” in its name. The Latin roots of this portion of the name are “semi-,” which means “half,” and “cordata,” which is derived from “cordatus,” which means “heart-shaped.” As a result, the term “semicordata” refers to the semi-heart-shaped or half-heart-shaped leaves. This description helps set this plant apart from other species in the Ficus genus by highlighting one of its unique characteristics. The Hindi term “bhui goolar” comes from the fact that the figs frequently mature underground. Fig leaves are chopped off and eaten. Coarse rope is manufactured from bark fibers.

Drooping Fig Facts

Drooping fig Quick Facts
Name:	Drooping fig
Scientific Name:	Ficus semicordata
Origin	Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Kashmir) eastwards to Malaya through India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar
Colors	Green to yellowish to reddish
Shapes	Spherical to slightly elongated structure
Health benefits	Headaches, fevers, menstrual disorders, constipation, leucorrhea, bladder complaints, liver ailments, jaundice, stomach disorders, wounds, scabies, leprosy, indigestion, liver disease, and skin diseases

Name	Drooping fig
Scientific Name	Ficus semicordata
Native	Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Kashmir) eastwards to Malaya through India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. It can be found in tropical regions of Central and South America, including Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
Common Names	Drooping fig, Himalayan fig and Semicordate fig
Name in Other Languages	Adi: Takuk Angami: Thotsenuo Assamese: Tokuk asing Bengali: Bainchi Bodo: Taikhro Chinese: Jī sù zi guǒ (鸡嗉子果), Shān pípá guǒ (山枇杷果), Zhēnzhū lián (珍珠莲), Jī sù zi róng (鸡嗉子榕) English: Drooping fig Garo: Amin-sep Hindi: Doomar, paraho (परहो), Khunia, Khaina (खैना), Khunia (खुनिया), Bhui goolar (भूई गूलर), Kandori Kannada: Garagasa (ಗರಗಸ), Ablu (ಅಬ್ಲು), Pajevu (ಪಜೇವು), Palavu (ಪಲವು) Khasi: Dieng-duit-lasas Manipuri: Kongrou, Heirit (ꯍꯩꯔꯤꯠ) Mishing: Takuk esing Mizo: Theipui, Theitit Nepali: Khanyu (खन्यु ), Khaniyo (खनियो), Khanaayo (खनायो) Oriya: Theitis, theitil, theipui, podayi Sanskrit: Chorakapatra, Kakodumbara, Kharapatra Tamil: Taragadi Telugu: Bommachettu, bomma marri, erubodd Thai: Deụ̄̀x pl̂xng h̄in (เดื่อปล้องหิน) Vietnamese: Cọ nọt, Ða lá lệch
Plant Growth Habit	Small or medium-sized evergreen tree
Growing Climates	Forested areas, evergreen to deciduous forests, forest margins, valleys, along trails, rocky slopes along road, pathways, valleys and banks of ravines
Soil	Moist, well-draining soil types that are rich in nutrients. The soil pH should ideally be between 6.0 and 7.2, which supports healthy growth and development of the plant. This species thrives in locations that offer full sun to partial shade, making it adaptable to various lighting conditions
Plant Size	Up to 15 meters tall, with a trunk up to 15-25 cm in diameter
Bark	Bark is rough dark-grey
Leaf	Ovate to lancelote shaped, deeply veined and average between 10-30 cm in length. The leaf vein undersides and stems are reddish in color. This species is not a strangling fig
Flower	Has several tiny blossoms inside the syconium. Depending on how they are used in reproduction, they might be male, female, or sterile (gall blossoms)
Fruit Shape & Size	Spherical to slightly elongated structure
Fruit Color	Green to yellowish to reddish
Plant Parts Used	Roots, Bark, Milky sap, Fruits
Propagation	By apical stem cutting or through air layering

Plant Description

The drooping fig is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree with an uneven crown that typically reaches a height of 15 meters. Without aerial roots, the trunk has a girth of up to 15 to 25 cm. The plant can be found growing in valleys, walkways, rocky slopes beside roads, evergreen to deciduous forests, forest margins, and the banks of ravines. Rich in nutrients, the plant thrives in soil types that are moist and drain well. The optimal pH range for the soil is between 6.0 and 7.2, which promotes the plant’s healthy growth and development. This plant is tolerant of many lighting conditions because it grows well in areas with full sun to partial shade. The tree is harvested in its natural habitat for its consumable fruit, fiber, and therapeutic qualities. Along the sides of roadways, it is also grown as a shade tree. The fruits are consumed when they frequently ripen underground (geocarpic). It produces robust fiber and is used as fodder. Juice from the root is claimed to be administered for bladder ailments.

Stem

The plant’s name, “Drooping fig,” comes from its strong, sturdy stem that holds aloft a dense canopy of semi-cordate, or half-heart-shaped, leaves. This fig can reach a size of huge trees in its natural habitat, with a stem that thickens considerably over time. The stem’s smooth, greyish-brown bark has the potential to mature into a rougher, textured appearance.

Leaves

The Drooping fig’s leaves are particularly semi-cordate, which means that one side of the leaf base is usually more rounded than the other and that the leaves are partially but not entirely heart-shaped. The plant is known by its particular name, “semi-cordata,” which refers to its leaves’ half-heart-shaped form. Large leaves that range in length from 10 to 25 cm (about 4 to 10 inches) also contribute to the plant’s attractive appearance with their lush, green canopy.

Flowers

The entire flowering portion of the plant is enclosed within the fleshy, hollow syconium. Although it may appear to be a fruit from the outside, the blossoms are actually inside. The Drooping fig has several tiny blossoms inside the syconium. Depending on how they are used in reproduction, they might be male, female, or sterile (gall blossoms). Once pollinated, the female flowers develop into seeds, while the male blooms yield pollen.

Fruits

The Drooping fig’s syconium is a spherical to slightly elongated structure that, when ripe, can have colors ranging from green to yellowish to reddish. Every syconium is a fleshy, hollow receptacle that contains many small flowers. When fully ripe, the smooth outer skin takes on a velvety texture. Though they might vary in size, the fruits are usually conspicuous on the tree and roughly the size of a small to medium fig.

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