MORACE^ 



303 





obovate, crowned with the remnants of the styles, inclosed in the succulent thick- 

 ened and colored perianth of the Mower and more or less united into a more or less 

 juicy compound fruit (syncarp); flesh subsucculent, thin; walls of the nutlet thin or 

 thick, crustaceous. Seed oblong, pendulous; testa thin, membranaceous; hilum 

 minute, apical; embryo incurved in thick fleshy albumen; cotyledons oblong, equal; 

 radicle ascending, incumbent. 



Morus with six or seven species is confined to eastern temperate North America, 

 the elevated regions of Mexico, Central America and western South America, western 

 Asia, Indo-China, Japan, and the high mountains of the Indian Archipelago. Two 

 species occur in North America. The most valuable species, Morus alba, L., a native 

 of northern China and Japan, and largely cultivated in many countries for its leaves, 

 which are the best food of the silkworm, has been planted in large quantities in the 

 eastern United States; and 3forus nigra, L., probably a native of Persia, has been 

 introduced into the southern and Pacific states for its large dark-colored juicy fruit. 

 Morus produces straight-grained durable light brown or orange-colored valuable 

 wood, and sweet acidulous and refreshing fruits. 



Morus is the classical name of the Mulberry-tree. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES. 



Leaves coated below with pale pubescence ; lobes of the stigma long ; fruit oblong, dark 

 purple. 1. M. rubra (A, C). 



Leaves glabrous or pubescent on the lower surface ; lobes of the stigma short ; fruit sub- 

 globose or short ovate, nearly black. 2. M. celtidifolia (C, E, II). 



1. Morus rubra, L. Red Mulberry. 



Leaves ovate, oblong-ovate or semiorbicular, abruptly contracted into long broad 

 points or acute at the apex, more or less deeply cordate or occasionally truncate at 



the base, coarsely and occasionally doubly serrate, with incurved callous-tipped teeth, 

 often, especially on vigorous young shoots, ,'Mobed by broad deep oblique lateral 

 rounded sinuses, when they unfold yellow-green, slightly pilose on the Upper sur- 

 face and hoary-tomentose on the lower surface, at maturity thin, dark bluish green, 



