Fruits are edible, but leaves are toxic to animals, particularly during the dry season. This is the same with Ficus salicifolia (‘Dhicir’). Maceration of the leaves is used in the management of malaria. Its red wood is hard and ideal for making wooden bowel (Xeedho), camel bells (Koor) and salt-lick troughs (Qabaal).

Friis, I. (1999) Moraceae in Flora of Somalia 2: 91-104

Plants shrubs or trees up to 15 m tall, with large buttresses; trunks up to 0.4 m or more in diameter; bark grey, smooth, slashes pales brown to reddish; latex milky white; young branches pale brown, glabrous to tomentose. Leaves alternate; stipules lateral, free, caducous, 0.5-3.5 cm long, densely tomentose to puberulent; petioles 2-5 cm long, puberulent; blades leathery, usually drying pale green, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 6-16 cm long, 2-7 cm wide, both surfaces glabrous, lateral veins 6-9 pairs, bases cordate, truncate, or rounded, margins entie, tips acute to acuminate. Figs 1 or more together, axillary, sessile or on peduncles up to 4 mm long; basal bracts 3, broadly ovate, pubescent; receptacles subglobose, 6-11 mm in diameter, glabrous or tomentellose; ostioles more or less prominent, closed by 3 or more clearly visible bracts.

Ficus ingens grows on rocks and rocky slopes in bushland and on the edge of dry montance forests at 1100-2000 m. It is known from region N1 of the Flora of Somalia. It is also widespread in tropical Africa, extending wests to Gambia, south to South Africa, and east to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

©Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Reproduced with permission.

An evergreen tree, about 13m tall or more. It has milky or water latex. Its new leaves appear bronze colour in spring.