Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Ficus pertusa
Food
Firewood
Lumber
Medicinal
Peru Common Name
Matapalo, Renaquilla negra, Renaquilla, Loro micuna, Renaco blanco, Renaco
Tree Family
Moraceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
8.24cm
Length
×
3.65cm
Width
Tree Height
Medium (20–35m)
Elevational Range (m)
Unknown
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Peru
Native to
Region
Americas
Latin America
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Prevalence
Common in Coffee Agroforestry
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
Planted in nursery by seeds and cuttings. The seed should be planted as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded nursery. Collect the fruits and place them in a plastic bag and then leave them until the fruit partially decomposes. The fruit is small and red when ripe, has a 3 mm diameter, with the smell of kerosene. Mix the fruit with water to make a mixture of seeds and pulp. Because the seeds are very small, this mixture can be sown directly in the seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 30 – 50 days. It is a forest species that parasitizes other trees in order to coexist and become independent. It has a low incidence of pests.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Food
- Firewood
- Lumber
- Medicinal
It is used for carpentry, drawers and as firewood. Raw fruit has a sweet taste and is eaten. Latex is used to treat parasites. Latex spread over the skin is used to relieve itching due to fungal infections. A decoction of the outer root is used to treat fever.
Farm Services
- Coffee Shade
- Soil Improvement
Coffee Shade: provides sparse to dense shade and presents partial leaf fall mostly during the dry season
Biodiversity Benefits
Yes
It produces a large number of small fruits for groups of frugivorous birds such as tanagers, euphonias, saltators and chachalacas. It retains insects in leaves and bark that serve as food for insectivorous birds such as vireos, greenlets and tyrants.
Citations
Citations
Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-06-22. tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ficus+pertusa;
Berg, C.C. 2022-7-11. Ficus pertusa L.f. En Bernal, R., S.R. Gradstein & M. Celis (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co