島榕 (Ficus virgata) 和雀榕 (Ficus subpisocarpa) 是台灣常見的榕屬植物 (Ficus spp.)，它們懸垂的氣根一觸及地面，就會加速成長，成為支柱根，之後還會和本體的枝幹融而為一。運用這樣的策略，它們生長速度很快，很容易就長得比別的樹還高大粗壯。
島榕、雀榕生命力很強，處處都能生長，除了泥土，連屋頂、牆上或其他樹木的枝幹上也能著生。它們的果實會吸引麻雀、白頭翁 (Chinese bulbul)、綠繡眼 (Swinhoe’s white-eye) 或紅鳩 (red collared dove) 等啄食，種子隨著鳥的排遺 (defecation) 散播，如果鳥糞 (bird droppings) 掉在別的樹上，就會逐漸包覆宿主 (host tree) 的樹幹，同時迅速往下紮根，與宿主競爭土壤裡的養分及水分，往上伸展枝葉與宿主爭奪陽光，叫做「纏勒」(strangling)。宿主若遭完全覆蓋，遮蔽陽光，無法行光合作用，就會給絞殺取代。絞殺過程的長短隨環境因素而異，快則數年，慢則數十年。
島榕的學名 Ficus virgata 意為「多枝榕」，因此英文俗名以 twiggy fig 為宜，以往有譯為 large-leaved weeping fig，太過冗長，且未見維基百科或國外其他英文圖鑑採用，宜採用 twiggy fig，俾與學名及其形態相符。
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島榕 (Ficus virgata, twiggy fig) and 雀榕 (Ficus subpisocarpa, deciduous fig) are common species of strangling fig in Taiwan. They can become massive much easier and quicker than other trees. As soon as the hanging aerial roots of the branches of a strangling fig reach the ground, they grow faster and faster, becoming standing roots, sometimes several meters high, connecting the ground and the branches and eventually merging with the main trunk.
The small fruits of Ficus trees are favored by some birds and the seeds contained in bird droppings are often deposited in the branches of other trees. The Ficus then grows either regular roots or aerial roots that reach the ground. In the meantime, the Ficus is also growing upward toward the sun and spreading until it overtakes and kills the host.
The time a strangling Ficus takes to kill its host tree varies and is dependent on environmental factors; it can be as little as several years or as many as decades.
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雀榕 (Ficus subpisocarpa) 學名中的 subpisocarpa，意思是小豆，指它的果實像小豆。除了一般的雀榕全台可見外，還有一種較少見的大葉雀榕 (Ficus caulocarpa, Stem-fruited Fig)，In Greek, kaulos refers to the stem, while karpos’ refers to the fruit; hence, the name Ficus caulocarpa means Stem-fruited Fig. 大葉雀榕主要分布在台灣南北兩端，種名 caulocarpa 中的 caulo 意思是 stem，carpa=fruit。大葉雀榕葉子較雀榕寬大，但果實反而較小，初結果時為白色，成熟時轉為黑色，一般雀榕的果實則為粉紅色。大葉雀榕葉子較雀榕寬大，但果實反而較小，初結果時為白色，成熟時轉為黑色，一般雀榕的果實則為粉紅色。
文章由書林出版公司提供：
www.bookman.com.tw
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蘇正隆 — 台灣翻譯學學會前理事長、師大翻譯研究所兼任副教授; 編著《走讀自然.花言樹語》，《英語的對與錯》，《世紀病毒：必讀防疫英文知識與詞彙》...等。國家教育研究院中英雙語詞彙審議委員；研究領域為翻譯、術語及詞典編譯，從事植物與人文導覽數十年，亦曾應邀遠赴國外大學做植物人文導覽。
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