138 URTICACER. -[ Morus. — 
This is the Mulberry which has. been used chiefly throughout north- 
western India for supplying food for silkworms. For this purpose, as 
well as for the sake of its edible fruit, it is widely cultivated in the 
Punjab, Kashmir and in many other parts of the N. W. Frontier. 
Although often met with as apparently wild in many places, its 
Original home is probablysin N. Asia or China. Within the area 
of this flora the young leaves and the flowers appear in February. 
The fruit, which ripens during May and June is much eaten by the 
. People, by whom many distinct forms are recognized, varying in the 
size of the tree and in the shape and colour of the fruiting spikes. 
‘The wood is much used in making furniture and agricultural imple- 
ments, and on many of the Punjab rivers for boat-building. The 
leaves afford excellent fodder for sheep and goats, and the twigs are 
used for binding loads.—Closely allied to the preceding species is 
M. ATROPURPUREA, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii, 595. It was introduced from 
‘China, and is now cultivated in various parts of India. The leaves 
are cordate, serrate and rarely lobed, smooth, and the long cylindric 
fruiting spikes are dark-purple when ripe.—M. nicra, Linn. ; Brandis 
For. Fl. 407; D. C. L’Orig Pl. Cult. 121. Vern Shah tut. (Black 
Mulberry). This tree is extensively cultivated in the Peshawar 
Valley, in Kashmir, also in many parts of the N. W. frontier, and 
beyond in Baluchistan and Afghanistan. It is also grown in Europe, 
in W. and Cent. Asia and in China. Its original home is not knowr 
with certainty, though it is said to be wild in Persia, whence it was 
introduced into Greece and Italy.—M. serrata, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iit, 
596°; Brandis For. Fl. 409; Ind. Trees 612 ; Gamble Man. 635 ; Kanji- 
dal For. Fl. 365.—Vern. Kimu, himu, tut, tunt.—A large deciduous 
tree, cultivated'in Dehra Dun, but wild on the outer ranges of the 
W. Himalaya up to 9,000 ft. Leaves 2-8 in. long, broadly ovate- 
cordate, acumi-ate. coarsely toothed or serrate, softly pubescent 
beneath. Flowers dicwcious. Styles hairy, connate below. Fruit 
shortly cylindric, purple and sweet when ripe. The wood, which 
seasons well and takes a fine polish. is valued for cabinet work and 
is also used for making agricultural implements and tennis bats. 
‘The tree is often lopped for cattle fodder. 
14. STREBLUS, Lour. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. v, 489. 
Unarmed shrubs or trees with milky juice. Leaves alternate, 
penninerved, scabrid ; stipules small, lanceolate. Flowers axillary, 
usually dicecious ; males in peduncled heads or spikes ; fem. flowers 
solitary or 2-4 together, stalked, bracteate. Matz flowers. Sepals 
