| Urnfigs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| T. madagascariense | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Tribe: | Dorstenieae |
| Genus: | Trilepisium Thouars (1806) |
| Species[1] | |
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Trilepisium, theurnfigs orfalse-figs, is a smallAfrotropical genus ofplants in familyMoraceae. They grow to medium-sized or large trees that occur in evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, flooded forests or forest patches and often along rivers and streams,[2] and at elevations of up to 2,000 m[3] and over.[4]
The bole may be 60 cm wide, and is often fluted at the base.[4] The smooth, grey bark is verylenticellate[5] and exudes a cream-coloured latex when damaged.[3] The yellowish to pinkish slash turns purple-red as it dries.[5] They usually branch high up to form a small and loosely pyramidal crown[4] with drooping twigs. Stipules of terminal buds eventually leave annular scars.[5]
The glossy and very dark elliptic leaves have a prominent driptip,[2] and measure up to 14 cm long.[3] They are glossy below, and have two small lobes at the base.[5]
The flowers appear in spring and are arranged in a whitish to mauve puff.[3] The puff is about 1 cm in diameter,[2] and consists ofstaminate male flowers andpistillate female flowers, withoutperianths,[3] which obscure the view of the receptacle.[6] The flowers protrude from the open apex of anurn-shapedreceptacle which is about 1.5 cm long.[2]
The fig-like fruit, embedded in the fleshy receptacles, are some 2 cm long.[3] They are ellipsoidal in shape and hold a nutlet each.[2][5] Ripe fruit have the appearance of blue plums.[5]
The two species are distinguished on floral characteristics:[7]
The wood ofT. madagascariense is suitable for furniture, and the sap yields a red dye.[2] Its roasted seeds are eaten and it is sometimes cultivated.[4] A methanol extract, fractions and isoliquiritigenin fromT. madagascariense stem bark has been shown to possess antidiarrheal activities,[8] and previously unknown trilepisflavan and trilepisuimic acid compounds were isolated from it in 2012.[9]
Trilepisium madagascariense is a larval foodplant for the butterflyCyrestis camillus sublineata.[2] On the Seychelles the seeds are likely dispersed by frugivorous birds and fruit bats, but the pollinators are unknown.[7]