Ficus glomerata Roxb.

Description :

Cluster fig is a fast-growing plant that grows up to12m, with very rough and large leaves typically achieving the size of a large shrub, although old specimens can grow quite gnarled and large. The fruit is about to 25mm in diameter. The fruits are commonly eaten as a vegetable after the seeds have been discarded and made into stir fries and curries. It grows well in sandy, loamy and clay soils and favours well-drained soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It grows best in moist soil.

Distribution :

This plant is distributed in large areas, they can be found in Indian subcontinent (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh), Eastern Asia, Southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia. They grow well in open, deciduous forests, common along riverbanks, moist areas, beside rivers and streams, occasionally in streams at elevations of 100-1700 meters especially in southern China.

Uses :

This plant has both edible and medicinal uses. The fruit can be eaten raw. They are used in different preserves. Undeveloped fruits are pickled and used in soups. The fruit can be dried and ground into powder form then eaten with sugar and milk. The leaves can be cooked and eaten as vegetable. The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea. The bark and the fruit can be used for the treatment of hematuria, menorrhagia, and hemoptysis. The root of the plant is chewed for treatment of tonsillitis.

 

 

(Eshwarappa et al., 2015; Ahmed and Urooj, 2010)