About Ficus tinctoria G.Forst.
Ficus tinctoria, commonly called dye fig or humped fig, is a hemiepiphytic tree in the genus Ficus, and it is classified as one of the strangler fig species. Its distribution spans Asia, Malesia, northern Australia, and the South Pacific islands. It typically grows in moist valleys, and palms are its preferred host species. The root systems of dye fig can merge to become self-sustaining, but the epiphyte usually falls if the host tree dies or rots away. In Australia, this species is recorded as a medium-sized tree with smooth, oval, asymmetrical green leaves, and it is commonly found growing in rocky areas or over boulders. Its small rust-brown fruit produces a red dye that is used for traditional fabric making in parts of Oceania and Indonesia. The fruit is also edible, and serves as a major food source on the low-lying atolls of Micronesia and Polynesia.
