Fig Tree Species Identification Photos, Australian Tree Pictures NSW, QLD & VIC Page 5

Tree Page 5 F - Figs

Fig & Rainforest Tree Species Identification Photos, Australian Tree Pictures

Quality images to aid in identification of Australian native fig and rainforest tree species showing photos of the full tree, bark, fruit and leaf samples. Accompanying descriptions give information on size, distribution and leaf characteristics. All Creative Designs Nambucca & Coffs Harbour® exhibits web optimized tree images for identification purposes. To send any queries regarding these tree species web pages use Contact Us. Our aim is to build up the awareness to the high conservation values remaining Australian rainforests deserve. The rainforest image folder below is constantly extended, revised and updated.
Images and text descriptions from this web page are not to be redistributed or reproduced in any way, shape, or form without the written permission from All Creative Designs® (see copyrights)
Identification tree photos are ordered by most used common name in alphabetical order, see page links below.
Tree Pages: 1 A - Bo \| 2 Bo - Br \| 3 C - D \| 4 E - Euca \| 5 F - Figs \| 6 F - G \| 7 H - M \| 8 N - P \| 9 R - S \| 10 S - Syz \| 11 T - V \| 12 W - Z
See our Leaf Characteristic Page for explanations on leaf and vegetative characteristics mentioned in descriptions to the right. Know what you are looking for; use our species list with links to relevant tree images and descriptions. JPG format thumbnail images are 180 x 135px (vertical 135 x 180 px) web optimised. JPG full size images are 800 x 600 px web optimzed (vertical 600 x 800 px). All images copyright © 2007 - 2013 by All Creative Designs® worldwide rights reserved. Click thumbnail images to view full size pictures.	Leaf Characteristics Page Flower Characteristics Page Species List Common & Botanical Reference Resources Back to Gallery

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Feather Wattle Acacia o'shanesii
The Feather Wattle is a tall shrub or small tree species up to 10m in height growing mainly close to the coast line (Picture 1). Bark is fairly smooth with fine fissures and pale reddish brown in colour (2). Beautiful yellow globose flower heads are up to 8 mm across, held on racemes and bloom most time of the year (3). The fruit is a flattened pod up to 12 cm in length which turns a reddish brown when ripening and contains up to 6 seeds (4). Bipinnate compound leaves with an alternate arrangement feature up to 17 pairs of pinnea per leaf which hold more than 50 leaflets each. Leaflets are oblong in shape with a rounded apex and 3 to 4 mm in length (5). Distribution: NSW south and mid-north coast. See Flower Characteristics Page and Leaf Characteristics Page for information on terms used.

Feather Wattle

Feather Wattle Bark

Acacia o'shanesii Flower

Feather Wattle Fruit

Feather Wattle Leaf

Featherwood Polyosma cunninghamii
The Featherwood is most often a small native tree species under 10m in height, occurring within subtropical rainforests as an understorey species. The specimen shown is about 12m tall; the larger trunk to the left in the image is a Coachwood Ceratopetalum apetalum (Picture 1). Bark (on adult specimen) is brown in colour and rather firm with more longitudinal and shallow grooves than fissures (2). Cylindrical shaped flowers are at first colored pale white turning yellowish green with maturity and are pleasantly scented. They measure up to 12 mm in length showing 4 fused petals separating at the top and are held on small racemes (3). The appearance of the tree and its' foliage is similar to that of the Doryphora Sassafras and some Socketwood species, but leaves differ in being more oblanceolate in shape, thinner and softer in texture. Simple oppositely arranged (or nearly so) leaves are; between 6 to 9 cm long with regular toothed margins and callous tips (up to 7 on each side), mostly oblanceolate in shape, hairless, mid-green and very glossy on top, dull and paler below, rather thin with a soft and smooth texture. Leaf apex is acute with a callous tip, base is attenuate. Venation is visible with sunken laterals and mid vein on upper surface, all veins are more noticeable on lower leaf surface (4 & 5). Distribution: NSW south coast to southern QLD. Identification tip: Leaves are not scented as is the case with the Doryphora Sassafras Page 9.

Polyosma cunninghamii Flower Featherwood

Featherwood

Featherwood Bark

Polyosma cunninghamii Flower

Featherwood Leaf Tip

Featherwood Leaves

Figs Australian

Common features of Australian Fig trees are 2 stipules (sheaves) enclosing and protecting the emerging leaf, which will turn yellow and fall off as the leaf unfurls . The Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla has the longest at up to 15 cm in length, stipules on other fig species like the Sandpaper Fig Ficus fraseri might measure only 5mm in length (See Leaf Characteristics Page for further information). When petioles, branches or the bark is broken a sticky sap will exude which can be clear to milky white and congeals on exposure.

Creek Sandpaper Fig Ficus coronata Other names: None
Small to medium sized tree with a spreading habit, found mainly along watercourses in STRf and Warm temperate rainforest (WTRf) from Victoria to QLD (Picture 1). Bark is fairly smooth and brown in color if not covered by mosses and lichen (2). Leaf arrangement is alternate (3). Fruit is a small fig on a stalk up to 2.5 cm long and hairy, purple or black in color when ripe. Fruit can appear on older trunks (cauliflorous Picture 2) (4) . Simple leaves on adult trees are; alternatley arranged, up to 15 cm long and feel very sandpaper like, margins are mostly finely toothed. Stipules up to 12mm long. Juvenile leaves are larger and margins ( leaf edges) can be entire or finely crenate (5). Notes: One of the best species for creek or river bank stabilisation, figs can be sweet and palatable. See also Sandpaper Fig Ficus fraseri below.

Creek Sandpaper Fig

Ficus coronata Bark

Creek Sandpaper Fig Leaves

Ficus coronata Fruit

Sandpaper Fig Leaf surfaces

Curtain Fig Ficus virens var. sublanceolata Other names: White Fig, Banyan Tree
The Curtain or White Fig is a massive tree species with a strong strangling habit and is at home in subtropical and tropical rainforests alike (Picture 1). Bark is firm and rather smooth with some bumps and ridges. Colour is a light to medium grey (2 & 3). The fruit; measures up to 12 mm in diameter, is globose (globe-shaped) and held up on a short stalks in leaf axils. Fruit shown is still unmature and will change colour (4). Simple leaves with an alternate arrangement are; up to 15 cm in length, ovate to lanceolate in shape with entire margins, dark green and glossy above, light green beneath, smooth and thinner than species as the Moreton Bay or Strangler Fig. Petioles are up to 6 cm long and sticky white sap exudes when cut or broken (5). Distribution: NSW north coast to tropical QLD and Asia.

Curtain Fig Ficus virens var. sublanceolata

Curtain Fig (QLD)

Ficus virens

Ficus virens Bark

Curtain Fig Fruit

Ficus virens Leaves

Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla Other names: Black Fig, Figwood
Very large and massive tree in STRF with a strangling habit , normally growing close to watercourses from mid north coast NSW to QLD (Picture 1). Older specimen feature large trunks with buttress roots extending far beyond canopy . Bark is a grey colour , firm with horizontal ridges (2). Figs are paired in leaf axil and turn a purple colour speckled with white dots when ripe. They are up to 30mm long and are held on tough stalks (3 & 4). Simple leaves up to 25 cm in length are one of the largest of any Australian fig tree , oblong to ovate in shape and brownish on their underside with entire margins and a varied leaf arrangement . Strong petioles are up to 10 cm long, sticky white sap exudes when cut or broken. Stipules are up to 15 cm in length (4 & 5). Notes: Important feed tree for a range of rainforest pigeons, fruit doves and flying foxes. Diversity of tree species growing under and close to Moreton Bay Figs is immense, but its own seed will not germinate within reach of its own roots.

Moreton Bay Fig

Moreton Bay Fig Roots

Moreton Bay Fig Fruit

Ficus macrophylla

Ficus macrophylla Leaves

Rusty Fig Ficus rubiginosa Other names: Port Jackson Fig, Rock Fig
The Rusty Fig or Port Jackson Fig grows up to 20 m tall with a wide spreading canopy and prefers a rocky, well drained position (Picture 1). The bark is firm with some horizontal ridges and a light grey in colour (2). Fruit is a globe shaped fig up to 2 cm in length held on a stiff stalk, growing in pairs and will turn more orange-red when ripening. Stipules are up to 5 cm long (3 & 4). Simple leaves with an alternate arrangement are; up to 11 cm long with entire margins, ovate to broad elliptic in shape, dark green and glossy on top, pale green to rusty brown underneath, firm and leathery. Underside of leaf is covered in fine brown hair with a silky touch, strong petioles are up to 4 cm long, exuding milky sap when broken (5). Distribution: Within coastal and subtropical rainforests from NSW south coast to central QLD.

Ficus rubiginosa Foliage Ficus rubiginosa

Rusty Fig Ficus rubiginosa

Ficus rubiginosa

Ficus rubiginosa Foliage

Ficus rubiginosa Friut

Rusty Fig Leaves

Sandpaper Fig Ficus fraseri
The Sandpaper Fig reaches a height of up to more than 20m and can be found in different types of rainforests, especially close to the coast (Picture 1). Bark has got a hard, rather smooth texture and is a dark green brown in colour (2). Foliage in juvenile specimens and on lower branches in minimal light conditions is deeply lobed (3). Young branches are rough but not covered in hair as is the case with the Creek Sandpaper Fig Ficus coronata, stipules are less than 1cm long (4). Mostly alternately arranged simple leaves on adult specimens are; up to 15 cm long with entire margins, broad elliptic to ovate in shape with an acute apex and have a rough and sandpapery texture (5). Distribution: NSW central coast to central QLD. Note: Leaves are not as thick and rough compared to that of the Creek Sandpaper Fig.

Sandpaper Fig

Ficus fraseri Bark

Sandpaper Fig Foliage

Sandpaper Fig Ficus fraseri

Ficus fraseri Leaves

Small-leaved Fig Ficus obliqua
Large and spreading Fig tree species with large buttress roots developing on older specimens (Picture 1 & 2). Fruit is relative small for an Australian Fig at only 10 mm in diameter and turns from yellow to an orange colour when ripening (3 & 4). As the name implies Small-leaved Fig leaves are; only up to 8 cm long with entire margins, ovate to obovate in shape, texture is firm but not as leathery and thick as other Fig species and leaf arrangement is alternate. Stipules are up to 40mm in length (5).
Distribution: NSW south coast to central QLD.

Small-leaved Fig

Ficus obliqua

Small-leaved Fig

Small-leaved Fig Fruit

Small-leaved Fig Leaves

Strangler Fig Ficus Watkinsiana Other names: Watkin's Fig
Magnificient very large fig species with a strong strangling habbit using other large rainforest tree species such as Yellow Carabeen Sloanea wollsii as a host. Its natural distribution starts at the mid-north coast of NSW stretching to subtropial QLD (Picture 1,2 & 3). After the host tree dies and decays a hollow center is left (4).
Simple leaves are; lanceolate in shape, up to 22 cm long with entire margins, smooth, thick, leathery in texture and exude a milky sap. Stipules are up to 6 cm in length. Fruit turns very dark purple when ripe, more oval in shape compared to the Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla and is up to 4 cm long and 2.5 cm wide (5).

Strangler Fig

Ficus watkinsiana

Strangler Fig on Carabeen

Strangler Fig 'inside'

Strangler Fig Fruit

Fine-leaved Tuckeroo Lepiderema pulchella
Today the Fine-leaved Tuckeroo Lepiderema pulchella is a rare native tree species due to clearing of forests on rich alluvial soils for farming and grazing. It can reach a height of up to 20m under favourable conditions (Picture1). Bark is a dark greenish grey in colour with a rather hard and smooth texture (2). Small white, cream and pale yellow coloured flowers measuring up to 7 mm in diameter bloom in earlyy spring. (3). The orange coloured fruit splits into 3 valves each containing a brown seed which is partly covered in a yellow aril (4). Alternately arranged compound leaves are made up of 4 to 12 seperate leaflets which are; mostly lanceolate in shape with very wavy margins, up to 10 cm in length, hairless, dark green and glossy on top, lighter green and glossy beneath, soft and smooth in texture. Apex is acute running into a fine point, base shape is cuneate. A short petiolule joins a prominent brown pulvinule which is a good identification feature of this species (5). See Leaf Characteristics Page. Distribution: Small range in northern NSW and southern QLD.

Fine-leaved Tuckeroo Bark Lepiderema pulchella

Lepiderema pulchella Flower Fine-leaved Tuckeroo

Fine-leaved Tuckeroo

Tuckeroo Bark

Lepiderema pulchella Flower

Fine-leaved Tuckeroo Fruit

Fine-leaved Tuckeroo Leaf

Firewheel Tree Stenocarpus sinuatus Other names: Wheel of FireTree
Medium size tree with a slender, upright shape growing from NSW mid north coast to central QLD and reaching a height of up to 25 m (Picture 1). Bark is white to grey in colour, with longitudinal fissures appearing on older specimens, hard and rough in texture (2). Very impressive and unusual flowers held in umbels can cover the whole tree in midsummer (3). Fruit is a follicle up to 8 cm long containing numerous papery winged seeds (4). Simple leaves on adult trees are; very varied in shape from deeply lobed to obovate, up to 30 cm in length with undulated margins, firm and stiff, hairless and shiny on both surfaces (5).

Firewheel Tree

Firewheel Tree Bark

Stenocarpus sinuatus Flower

Stenocarpus sinuatus Fruit

Firewheeel Leaves

Five-leaved Bonewood Bosistoa floydii Other names: Five-leaved Bosistoa
The Five-leaved Bonewood or Five-leaved Bosistoa Bosistoa floydii is an attractive and rare small tree growing to a height of up to 10m with a small distribution range occurring as an under storey tree species in STRf (Picture 1). The dark green glossy foliage and multi stemmed trunks are characteristic features ( 2). Bark is finely fissured and a grey brown in colour (3). Compound leaves with an opposite arrangement consist of 5 leaflets, rarely 3 or 7 (Picture 4). Leaflets are; up to 16 cm long with entire margins, elliptic to oblong in shape, hairless, dark green and glossy on top, mid-green below with a firm and rather stiff texture. Apex is acute, base shape is rounded and often asymmetric. Reticulate venation is prominent especially on lower leaf surface with mid vein and laterals being strongly raised (5). Distribution: Nambucca, Bellinger and Orara Valleys, mid-north coast of NSW.

Five-leaved Bonewood

Bosistoa floydii

Five-leaved Bonewood Bark

Five-leaved Bonewood Leaves

Five-leaved Bonewood Leaf

Flame Tree Brachychiton acerifolius Other names: Illawarra Flame Tree
This well known native tree species attains a height of up to 35 m and is often planted as an ornamental or street tree, which is deciduous (or semi-deciduous when mature) for a short time in spring while flowering in bright red colours (Picture 1). Bark is green and fairly smooth on younger specimens turning to a dark grey with fine fissures when maturing (2). Large number of vivid red flowers are borne on panicles, where pedicels and the rachis is also bright red in colour (3). The fruit; is a very hard (nearly woody) follicle splitting on one side only, can measure up to 20 cm in length and will turn black when mature. Groups of up to five follicles can hang off a central stalk. Tightly packed rows of black seeds are enclosed in a thin, yellow and papery layer which is hairy and may cause irritation to the skin ( Picture 4 and inset). Simple leaves with an alternate arrangement are; up to 25 cm in length with deeply lobed to entire margins (then oblong to ovate in shape), hairless, mid-green and glossy on top, paler beneath, thick with a firm texture. Leaf apex is acute, base shape is truncate. A prominent petiole can reach up to 20 cm in length. Palmate venation (on lobed leaves) is clearly visible (5). Distribution: Naturally found in different types of rainforests from NSW south coast to QLD. See Flower Characteristics Page and Leaf Characteristics Page for information on terms used.

Flame Tree

Illawara Flame Tree

Brachychiton acerifolius Flower

Flame Tree Fruit

Flame Tree Leaf

Flax-leaved Paperbark Melaleuca linariifolia Other names: Flaxleaf Paperbark, Budjur
The natural environment of this native shrub or small tree are sclerophyll forests and margins of rainforests preferring moist locations, it can reach a height of up to 10m (Picture 1). The outer bark is a dark grey and very papery shedding in large patches to expose an orange and light grey coloured under layer (2). Numerous individual white flowers are held on spikes up to 4.5 cm long and bloom in spring (3). The hard and woody fruit is small at 3 to 4 mm in diameter featuring a broad and level disk and enclosed valves (4). Simple leaves are; varied in arrangement (sometimes opposite other times alternate), up to 6 cm in length with entire margins, narrow elliptic, narrow oblanceolate or linear in shape, hairless, smooth with a firm to stiff texture and scented when crushed. Leaf apex is acute to acuminate, base shape is attenuate. Mid vein is prominent and numerous straight lateral veins are faintly visible. Petiole is very short only up to 1 mm in length. (5). Distribution: NSW south coast to QLD.

Flax-leaved Paperbark Bark Melaleuca linariifolia

Melaleuca linariifolia Flower Flaxleaf Paperbark

Flax-leaved Paperbark

Melaleuca linariifolia Flower

Flax-leaved Paperbark Fruit

Flax-leaved Paperbark Leaves

We attempt to properly describe any tree species shown on this web page and cross referenced images using these Resources to ensure correct botanical identification. It is recommended to use cross checking when identifying your plant material or photographs with the resource list provided. A personal interest into our native forest species for more than twenty years provided the images, descriptions and measurements for any tree species shown. Information on distribution range of tree species has been collected using a selection of sources (see link above). The target of these web pages is to show the diversity and magnificence of our remaining rainforests areas. Our aim is to build up the awareness to the high conservation values these subtropical and tropical rainforest areas deserve. Please note all images are copyright, watermarked and not to be used without prior permission by All Creative Designs® worldwide rights reserved.
Tree Pages: 1 A - Bo \| 2 Bo - Br \| 3 C - D \| 4 E - Euca \| 5 F - Figs \| 6 F - G \| 7 H - M \| 8 N - P \| 9 R - S \| 10 S - Syz \| 11 T - V \| 12 W - Z

You are on Page 5