Berg 1992
recognised one hundred and five species of
Ficus in the afrotropical region. This number has increased to 112 species with the publication of a new treatise of south-central and
southern African Ficus (Burrows &
Burrows 2003). In this work a number of species previously synonymised under F.
thonningii have been resurrected, and F. modesta and F.
salicifolia have been recognised as good species (supported by the
association of unique pollinator species with these host fig species). Here
we also treat the Madagascan F. sakalvarum as a good species based on
morphology and the fact that this taxon has a unique pollinating wasp
species associated with it.
