The Wonderboom (Ficus salicifolia) is an evergreen fig species that ranges from the KwaZulu-Natal midlands northwards to tropical East Africa. It grows especially on outcrops, rocky hillsides and along cliffs fringing water courses and may rarely grow up to 10 m tall, and acquire a leafy spreading crown.
The elliptic-oblong, leathery leaves of about 7 to 10 cm long, are carried on long petioles, and are often noticeably folded along the midrib. The leaf sides are almost parallel and clear net-veining is visible on the lamina. Leaves are brittle and have a characteristic smell when broken or bruised.
The small, smooth figs are carried on short stalks and measure about 4–6 mm in diameter. They are massed along the branchlets in the leaf axils, and change from white to yellowish-red and spotted as they ripen.
It may be confused with the similar but deciduous Ficus ingens which grows in similar habitat. The latter has somewhat larger, white to purple figs, and deep red fresh foliage. The Wonderboom fig is sometimes deemed a race of Ficus cordata, i.e. F. c. subsp. salicifolia (Vahl) C.C.Berg, though the latter species has yellowish sessile figs and a more westerly distribution.
Give credit where credit is due: Wikipedia 2020
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