Previously considered a variety of Ficus superba which occurs in China, Japan and parts of South East Asia.

This Australian variety was named after Diedrich Henne, who collected this plant at Booby Island in the Torres Strait in 1861.

Banks' plant was named in 1901 after the Endeavor's artist Sydney Parkinson, (Ficus parkinsonii).

In 2013, the species was reassigned to the original name of Ficus henneana, as described by Friedrich Miquel.

[2][3] Ficus henneana can grow to 35 metres (115 ft) in height in the best sites, or a smaller spreading tree on exposed rocky slopes.

The mature fig changes to a purplish colour with pink dots, globular in shape, 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in diameter.

The figs are eaten by a large variety of birds including the Australasian figbird, Coxen's fig parrot, green catbird, Lewin's honeyeater, regent bowerbird, rose crowned fruit dove, topknot pigeon, wompoo fruit dove and yellow-eyed cuckoo-shrike.