A widespread African fig tree typically found in dry country in wooded grassland and bush. It is found over a range of altitudes and broken terrain types, including kopjes, outcrops, escarpments and lava flows, or in woodlands. In Uganda it is found in dry localities usually among rocks, being abundant in Mt. Kei Forest Reserve in Arua District. It also occurs in Northern Region and in Masinde District. In Kampala, Ficus glumosa can be found within Makerere university, Uganda Golf course club, Sheraton gardens, at Constitutional square, Kagera road among other places.

A deciduous shrub with spreading branches or a large spreading tree up to 20 and 50cm in diameter. It is often supported by stilt roots.

BARK: smooth yellow-green-grey with a few rough flaking pieces. Young shoots and branchlets hairy white.

LEAVES: stiffly papery when mature, soft and pink in fresh growth, long oval or oblong, 2.5-14.0 cm, tip rounded but sometimes a sharp point, base heart-shaped to a stalk up to 4 cm thick and wavy, veins yellow. Leaves are hairy below (not in var. glabberima), 6-7 veins each side.

FLOWERS: inflorescence a fig, consisting of an urn-shaped receptacle with a narrow apical opening, the flowers enclosed within, figs solitary or in pairs in the leaf axils or just below, almost sessile.

FRUIT: figs, globose and paired, with fine silky hairs, appearing stalk-less, 7 cm across in leaf axils, green then red, sweet and succulent; eaten by birds.

Edible: the figs are eaten, young leaves are eaten as vegetable, the bark contains an abundant sticky white latex which is chewed as a chewing-gum. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Ficus+glumosa

Medicine: latex, bark, roots and fruits. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Ficus+glumosa

Agroforestry: lines of the tree can be planted as a windbreak, grown as a living fence, leaves are source of fodder to animals.

The bark is a source of tannins.

A dye extracted from the bark is used to color textiles.

A fiber obtained from the bark is used to make cloth.

The bark contains an abundant sticky white latex which is used as an adhesive.

The wood is a source of fuel and is also used to produce charcoal.

The bark also contains abundant sticky white latex which is used in Ghana like bird-lime to trap crickets.

The latex can be used for fastening arrowheads to their shaft.