Ficus coronata

Ficus Coronata is a species fig tree that is native to Australia. It is found along the east coast from Mackay in Central Queensland, through New South Wales and just into Victoria near Mallacoota. It grows along river banks and gullies in rainforest and open forest. It shares its common name with other sandpaper-figs because of its rough, sandpapery leaves.

Description

The sandpaper fig is a small tree which may reach the dimensions of 6-12 m (20-39 ft) tall by 3-5 m (9.8-16.4 ft) wide, although is generally smaller. The trunk is dark brown and the elliptical or ovate leaves are 5-15cm (2.0-5.9in) long and 2-5cm (0.79-1.97in) wide. They look almost like sandpaper on their upper sides. The new growth is densely hairy. The succulent oval fruit is around 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long and covered in dense hairs.

Uses

The fruit is edible and palatable, and was consumed by local Aboriginal people.

One legend states that the leaves of the fig were used by native people to polish wood or turtle shells. However, Bonsai and Len Webber tested them and found them too soft and fragile to be useful in this way.

You can even use the leaves as sandpaper. See video at this link.
http://www.thefigsofaustralia.com/ficus-coronata-leaves-as-sandpaper/

The sandpaper fig’s leaves are an attractive attribute which may be highlighted with bonsai, although the trunk may not thicken spontaneously. It is suited to a shady position in gardens, or medium to brightly lit indoor spaces. Like all figs in garden situations, they attract birds, such as species of silvereye and rainforest pigeon.

Ecology

Ficus coronata serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the Queensland butterfly the common- or purple moonbeam (Philiris innotatus), The Australasian figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti), green catbird (Ailuroedus crassirostris), olive-backed oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), topknot pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus), and grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) are among those animals who consume the fruit.

Taxonomy

Ficus coronata was first described by the Italian Marquese di Spigno in 1818. Its Latin coronata epithet means “crowned”, and refers to the ring of bristles that surround the fruit’s apex. Ficus Stephanocarpa is also referred to as ‘crowned fruit’ by Otto Warburg, a German botanist.