About Ficus opposita Miq.
Ficus opposita Miq. is one of several fig species that are commonly called sandpaper figs. It is native to Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia. Its other common names are sweet sandpaper fig, sweet fig, and the ambiguous names "figwood" and "watery fig". It grows as either a shrub or a small tree. As its figs ripen, their color changes in sequence: from green to yellow, then to reddish-brown, and finally to black. The fruit of Ficus opposita is edible and palatable, and it is tastier than the fruit of most other fig species. This species is a food plant for the caterpillars of Philiris innotatus, the common or purple moonbeam, a butterfly native to Queensland. The leaves of this plant can be used to treat skin infections such as tinea. Ficus opposita has been shown to hybridize with Ficus coronulata.
