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Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)

Description

Ficus pumila (creeping fig or climbing fig) is a species of flowering plant in the mulberry family, native to East Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam) and naturalized in parts of the southeastern and south-central United States. The etymology of the species name corresponds to the Latin word pumilus meaning dwarf,and refers to the very small leaves of the plant. Ficus pumila is a woody evergreen vine, growing to 2.5-4 m (8 ft 2 in-13 ft 1 in). The juvenile foliage is much smaller and thinner than mature leaves produced as the plant ages. This plant requires the fig wasp Blastophaga pumilae for pollination, and is fed upon by larvae of the butterfly Marpesia petreus.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Rosales

            • Family: Moraceae

              • Genus: Ficus