Family: Moraceae

The Moraceae family, commonly known as the mulberry or fig family, is a diverse group of flowering plants within the order Rosales. As of 2026, it is recognized for its significant economic, cultural, and ecological importance across tropical and subtropical regions. 
 


Key Characteristics

Milky Sap: Nearly all members produce a white or creamy latex when cut or damaged.

Diverse Growth Forms: The family includes roughly 38–40 genera and over 1,100 species, ranging from massive trees and shrubs to lianas (vines) and rare herbs.

Leaves: Typically alternate and simple, often with prominent stipules that leave a scar on the stem when they fall.

Inflorescence & Fruit: Flowers are unisexual and often tiny, clustered into complex structures. Many species produce multiple fruits (syncarps), where individual fruits from multiple flowers fuse into a single fleshy mass. 

 

Major Genera in the Family: Moraceae

Major Genera and Species

Genus: Ficus (Figs): The largest genus (~750–800 species), including the common edible fig (Ficus carica), sacred bo tree (F. religiosa), and various "strangler figs" like the banyan.

Genus: Morus (Mulberries): Known for edible fruits and as the primary food source for silkworms (Morus alba).

Genus: Artocarpus: Includes massive tropical fruits like jackfruit (A. heterophyllus) and breadfruit (A. altilis).

Genus: Maclura: Contains the Osage orange, valued for its extremely hard wood used historically for bows and fence posts. 

 

Genus: Ficus (Figs):

Borneo is a global hotspot for Ficus (figs), harboring over 150 species that are essential keystone species for rainforest biodiversity. These plants range from small epiphytic shrubs, such as Ficus deltoidea, to massive strangler figs like Ficus annulata, which start as epiphytes and crush their host trees. They provide a year-round food source for over 1,200 species, including orangutans, hornbills, and various insects. 


Key Characteristics and Diversity in Borneo

Species Count: Approximately 150 species exist in Borneo, representing one of the highest concentrations of Ficus diversity globally.

Keystone Role: Figs are critical for ecosystem survival, offering food during times of fruit scarcity for animals.

Pollination: Each species is generally pollinated by a specific, tiny wasp (family Agaonidae), which enters the fig through a small opening called the ostiole.
Habit: They exist as shrubs, vines, trees, and strangler, or hemi-epiphytes. 


Notable Species and Sections

Ficus deltoidea: Commonly known as the Mistletoe Fig, it is a small, well-known epiphytic shrub found in the canopy.

Ficus racemosa: A prolific, edible species found near rivers that acts as a vital famine food, producing crops several times a year.

Ficus punctata: A common root-climbing fig.

Ficus annulata and Ficus altissima: Large, canopy-forming strangler figs. 


Ecological and Cultural Significance

Wildlife Food Source: Figs are a staple for many species, including primates, hornbills, and fruit-eating fish.

Local Use: Some local communities in Borneo utilize fig species for, for instance, cooking.

Growth Forms: Strangler figs (like Ficus annulata) start as seedlings in the canopy and grow down, often killing the host tree and leaving a hollow, habitat-providing, structure.

Fig Sections: Various sections exist, with Ficus deltoidea and Ficus oleifolia being part of the Section Ficus, while many climbers fall under Section Kalosyce. 

Borneo's fig population is highly diverse, ranging from lowland to montane forests. 



 


Economic and Cultural Importance

Food Source: Provides globally important staples and fruits like figs, mulberries, jackfruit, and breadfruit.

Materials: Historically significant for timber, bark cloth (from paper mulberry), and natural rubber (from the Indian rubber plant, Ficus elastica).

Medicinal & Scientific Use: Many species contain bioactive compounds like flavonoids and phenolic acids being researched for antioxidant and potential anti-cancer properties.

Sacred Status: Species like the Bo tree hold deep religious significance in Hinduism and Buddhism, associated with the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha.