URTICACEAE 



Bed Mulberry 



Morus rubra, L. 



HABIT. A small tree 20-30 feet high, with a short trunk 

 10-15 inches in diameter; forming a dense, round-topped crown 

 of stout, spreading branches and more or less zigzag, slender 

 branchlets. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple, 3-5 inches long, nearly as 

 broad; outline variable, ovate to semiorbicular, often 3-5-lobed; 

 coarsely serrate; thin; dark blue-green and smooth or rough 

 above, pale and more or less downy beneath; petioles 1-2 inches 

 long, smooth, exuding a milky juice when cut. 



FLOWERS. May, with the leaves; monoecious or 

 dioecious ; the staminate in dense spikes 1-2 inches long, on short, 

 hairy peduncles; the pistillate in dense spikes about I inch long, 

 on short, hairy peduncles; calyx 4-lobed,, hairy; corolla o; 

 stamens 4, with green anthers ; stigmas 2, spreading. 



FRUIT. July; I inch long; consisting of drupes about 

 %2 inch long, each inclosed in a thickened, fleshy calyx; berry- 

 like; bright red at first, finally blackish; sweet, juicy, edible. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud absent; lateral buds ovoid, 

 abruptly pointed, J4 inch long, lustrous, light brown. 



BARK. Twigs greenish and more or less downy, becoming 

 smooth and brownish; trunk dark brown tinged with red and 

 more or less furrowed. 



WOOD. Light, soft, weak, rather tough, coarse-grained, 

 very durable, pale orange, with thick, lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Southern portion of the Lower Pen- 

 insula, as far north as the Muskegon river. 



HABITAT. Prefers rich soil in river-bottoms. 



NOTES. Easily transplanted. Grows rapidly in good, moist 

 soil. 



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