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Specy

Banyan

Flowering Plants

The banyan is a large tree native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, distinctive for beginning life, in many cases, as an epiphyte growing on a host tree before sending down numerous aerial roots that thicken into secondary trunks upon reaching the ground, eventually allowing a single banyan to spread outward over an enormous area and, over centuries, sometimes cover several hectares with what looks like a small forest of interconnected trunks. It belongs to the fig family and produces small fruit that is an important food source for birds, bats and other wildlife, which in turn disperse its seeds widely, including onto other trees where new banyans can begin their epiphytic growth. Banyans hold deep cultural and religious significance across South and Southeast Asia, are commonly planted as shade and landmark trees in villages and temple grounds, and individual specimens are often protected as living monuments due to their great age and size.

Facts

Classification

Diet

Photosynthetic Autotroph 2

System (Realm)

Terrestrial 3

Relationship to People

Used in Traditional Medicine 4

Relationship to People

Eaten or Drunk by People 4

Relationship to People

Source of Timber or Wood 4

Living or Extinct

Yes 1

Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status.

Identification

Distinguishing Appearance

An evergreen, monoecious, fast-growing tree reaching up to 30 meters tall that produces aerial roots which thicken into secondary trunks once they reach the ground, letting a single tree spread outward over a wide area. 1

Comparison

NatureServe Rank

GNR Unranked 5

CITES Appendix

Not Listed 6

Scientific Name

Ficus benghalensis 1

Conservation Status

Least Concern 1

Connections

Child Taxon Of

Source Wikidata: Banyan

In Biome

Tropical Rainforest

Source Ficus benghalensis (Wikipedia)

In the Other Atlases

Found In

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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Central African Republic

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Papua New Guinea

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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources

1. Ficus benghalensis (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia Foundation

Introduction, first sentence
Ficus benghalensis, Ficus indica, or Ficus audrey commonly known as banyan, banyan fig, audrey fig and Indian banyan, is a tree native to the Indian subcontinent.
Description section
Ficus benghalensis is an evergreen, monoecious, fast-growing tree found mainly in monsoon and rainforests, that can reach a height of up to 30 meters.
Infobox: status
LC
In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Lead
found mainly in monsoon and rainforests

View the Source

2. Ficus benghalensis (Wikipedia)

a tree native to the Indian subcontinentView the Source

3. GBIF Species API

GBIF Species APIView the Source

4. Plants For A Future: Ficus benghalensis - Useful Tropical Plants

Plants For A Future

General Information: food
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and medicinal uses.
General Information: medicine
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and medicinal uses.
General Information: timber
It also supplies a timber and a material for tying.

View the Source

5. NatureServe Explorer: Ficus benghalensis

NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)

Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)

"roundedGRank": "GNR"

View the Source

6. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Rosales

UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12440

Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12440

"cites_listing":"II/III/NC","eu_listing":"B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Plantae","phylum":null,"class":null,"order":"Rosales","family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[],"cites_listings":[]

View the Source

Wikidata: Banyan

Wikidata Q1405636, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
Child Taxon Of: Moraceae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain

View the Source

UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Moraceae

UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12479

Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12479

"active":true,"cites_listing":"NC"

View the Source

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