Ficus tinctoria

Usually a hemi epiphyte i.e. usually young plants are epiphytic and later when the roots come in contact with the ground it encircles the host tree often resulting in death of host tree.

Seeds are passed through the alimentary canals of birds and other animals that feed on the fruits.

Small tree usually hemiepiphyte. Bark coarse. Branchlets brown. Stipules lanceolate, Leaves distichous, leaf blade elliptic to ovate-elliptic, asymmetric, larger in young plants and leathery. base broadly cuneate, margin entire or toothed, apex acute. Figs axillary on leafy shoots, solitary and paired, globose, with sparse small tubercles, slightly rough, base attenuate into stalk, peduncle short, involucral bracts ovate, margin revolute when dry. Male flowers near apical pore, calyx lobes white, linear, stamens 1, Gall flowers calyx lobes similar to male flowers, ovary obliquely ovoid, style lateral. Female flowers calyx lobes transparent and linear, style persistent, short, stigma enlarged. Achenes ellipsoid, keeled with tubercles. Syconus fruit.

Wasps play an important role in pollination and reproduction of this species.

Susceptible to insect pests.

Notes: Plains to High Altitude

Evergreen to moist deciduous forests.

Not evaluated by the IUCN Redlist. Least Concern (Ganeshaiah, K. N. et. al. (2012) Plants of Western Ghats)

Used as firewood.