Ficus dicranostyla is a shrub or tree species within the family Moraceae. It occurs in Tropical Africa and it is one of the two species of Ficus within the section Oreosycea of Ficus subgenus Pharmacosycea.[1]
It was named by Johannes Mildbraed.[2]
The species grows up to 8 m tall but occasionally taller, sometimes reaching 35 m in height, it has a spreading cown, a greyish to brownish bark that is often rough and fissured; the slash is pale brown exuding latex.[3] The stems are usually brownish in color, are pubescent when young but when matured they are commonly free of hair. The leaves are arranged spirally and tend to be distichous with a surface that borders on either papery or leathery, stipules are present and are caducous, up to 1.5 cm long.[4] The leaf blade is broadly ovate to elliptical with a base that is cordate to rounded and an apex that is acuminate; leaves can grow up tp 20 cm long and 9 cm wide. Figs are borne in pairs or solitary in leaf axils and are pedunculate with peduncles that can reach 1 cm long and with 3 basal bracts. The figs are yellowish green when young to yellowish orange when mature, they are globular to obovoid in shape.
Commonly occurs in West, East and Central Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and southwards to Zambia. Found in rocky soils in savannahs and gallery or deciduous forests.