Ficus dammaropsis

Ficus dammaropsis, called kapiak in Tok Pisin, is a tropical dioecious evergreen fig tree with huge pleated leaves 60 cm across and up to 90 cm (3 feet) in length. on petioles as much as thirteen inches (32 centimeters) long and one inch (2.5 cm) thick. These emerge from a stipular sheath up to fourteen inches ( 38 cm) long, the largest of any Dicot. It is native to the highlands and highlands fringe of New Guinea. It generally grows at altitudes of between 850 and 2750 m. Its fruit, the world's largest figs (syconia), up to six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, are edible but rarely eaten except as an emergency food. There are two fruit colour variants in Ficus dammaropsis, red and green, as illustrated by the photos here. In New Guinea, they are pollinated by the tiny wasp Ceratosolon abnormis. The young leaves are pickled or cooked and eaten as a vegetable with pig meat by highlanders.

The lowland form of this species, with different and smaller flower form and less pleated leaves to Ficus dammaropsis, found commonly below 900 meters is recognized as a distinct species, Ficus brusii.

The species can be found at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, located in the ‘Yucca Bed’.

Cultivation
With its bold tropical leaves and relative tolerance of cold, F. dammaropsis is cultivated as an ornamental tree in frost-free climates.