Ficus opposita is one of several fig

Ficus

Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...

 species commonly known as Sandpaper Fig

Sandpaper Fig

The Sandpaper Figs are so named for their leaves, which are rough and sandpaper-like in texture. The common name may refer to a number of species:*Ficus coronata*Ficus coronulata*Ficus fraseri*Ficus opposita*Ficus scobina...

s. It is native to the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 and Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

.Other common names include Sweet Sandpaper Fig, Sweet Fig and the ambiguous "figwood" and "watery fig".

It grows as either a shrub or small tree.
As the figs ripen, their colour changes from green to yellow to reddish-brown and finally, to black. The fruit is edible and palatable, tastier than most other fig species.

It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the Queensland butterfly the Common- or Purple Moonbeam (Philiris innotatus),