Ficus geocharis Corner, Gard. Bull. Sing. 18 (1960)

Diagnostics
Understorey tree up to 17 m tall and 20 cm dbh. Stem with white sap. Stipules ca. 28 mm long, hairy. Leaves alternate, simple, penni-veined, hairy below, base strongly asymmetrical, margin toothed. Fruits ca. 15 mm diameter, red-purple, globose figs covered with green scales, placed along ground creeping stems that can be several meters long.

Description
Dioecious tree, up to 17 m tall. Twigs, petioles, leaf undersurface and syconia yellowish brown hairy. Twigs c. 0.3 cm thick, dark brown. Stipules lanceolate, 1.5-3.8 cm long, persistent. Leaves distichous, membranous; elliptic to oblong or lanceolate, 15-39 x 5- 9 cm, base asymmetric, with one side narrowly cuneate and the other narrowly auriculate, margin finely toothed, apex abruptly acuminate, acumen 2-6 cm long; midrib raised above; lateral veins 6-8(-10) pairs, distal ones with axillary glands, basal 1-4 pairs short, departing from near the base of midrib; intercostal venation finely raised below; petiole 0.4-0.9 cm long, with subnodal gland. Syconia borne on stolons arising from the base of stem and also on leafless twigs arising from branches and stems, ripening purplish, densely yellowish or reddish brown hairy, depressed globose to turbinate, 1.6-2 cm diameter; peduncle 0.15-0.4 cm long; lateral bracts lanceolate, up to 9 mm long; internal bristles none. Perianth rudimentary or absent. Achenes lenticular, up to 0.9 mm long, smooth. [from Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak]

Ecology
Mostly in disturbed keranga, mixed dipterocarp, sub-montane and regrowth forests up to 1200 m altitude. Usually along rivers and streams and on hillsides with sandy soils. Also found in limestone areas.

Uses
The young leaves can be used as vegetable. The fruits are edible.

Distribution
Borneo.

Local names
Borneo: Bua abung (Kelabit), Dali, Entimau (Iban), Givit, Kara, Timopada (Iban).