Climbers, often epiphytic or epilithic, climbing by short adventitious roots, sometimes a freestanding tree when mature (Ficus yunnanensis); dioecious. Leaves usually distichous, rarely spiral, on climbing stems often asymmetric, different from ones on non-climbing stems, margin entire; wax glands in axils of main basal veins, rarely on nodes of leafy stems. Figs usually axillary on normal leafy stems, less often cauliflorous, interfloral bracts absent, internal bristles often present, apical pore relatively small with up to 3 upper bracts visible; peduncle with 3 basal bracts in a collar. Perianth lobes glabrous or rarely hairy. Male flowers: around apical pore or scattered; stamen 1 or 2(or 3); pistillode usually absent. Female flowers: stigma usually 2-parted, subulate. Fruit an achene.

Members of Ficus subgen. Synoecia are pollinated by fig wasps belonging to the genus Wiebesia.

About 75 species: from Sri Lanka and Japan to Australia and the Solomon Islands; 14 species (six endemic) in China.