MACLURA. CXXX. URTICACE^E. 509 



SECTION I. MORELS. 



Shrubs or trees with a milky juice. Fruit fleshy, composed of the 



fleshy calyx or receptacle^ 



1. MORUS. 



Celtic mor, black ; the color of the fruit of some of the species. 



Flowers <?, rarely cT V & in loose spikes; calyx 4-parted. 9 in 

 dense spikes ; calyx 4-parted ; styles 2 ; achenium compressed, en- 

 closed within the baccate calyx ; spike constituting a compound 

 berry. Trees with alternate, generally lobed leaves. Fls. inconspicuous. 



1. M. RUBRA. Red Mulberry. 



Lvs. scabrous, pubescent beneath, rounded or subcordate at base, equally 

 serrate, acuminate, either ovate or 3-lobed; fertile spikes cylindric ; fr. dark red. 

 This tree varies greatly in height according to its situation. In New England, 

 where it is not very common, it is but a shrub 15 20f high. In the Middle 

 and Western States, it attains the elevation of 50 60f, with a diameter of 2f. 

 Trunk covered with a grayish bark, much broken and furrowed. Wood fine- 

 grained, strong and durable. Leaves 4 6' long, f as wide, entire or divided 

 into lobes, thick, dark green. Flowers small. Berries of a deep red color, 

 compounded of a great number of small ones, of an agreeable acid flavor. 

 May. 



2. M. ALBA. White Mulberry. Lvs. nearly glabrous, cordate and oblique at 

 base, unequally serrate, either undivided or lobed ; fr. whitish. Native of Chi- 

 na. Cultivated for the sake of its leaves as the food of silk worms. A tree of 

 humble growth. Leaves 2 4' long, f as wide, acute, petiolate. Flowers green, 

 in small, roundish spikes or heads. Fruit of a yellowish- white, insipid. 



/?. muUicaulis. ( Chinese Mulberry.) Lvs. large (4 7' long, f as broad). Shrub. 



3. M. NIGRA. Black Mulberry. Lvs. scabrous, cordate, ovate or lobed, obtuse, 

 unequally serrate ; fertile spikes oval. Native of Persia, cultivated for ornament 

 and shade, in this as well as in many other countries. Fruit dark red or black- 

 ish, of an aromatic, acid flavor. 



2. BROUSSONETIA. L'Her. 



In honor of P. N. V. Broussonet, a distinguished French naturalist. 



Flowers <?9. c? Ament cylindric ; cal. 4-parted. 9 Ament glo 

 bose ; receptacle cylindric-clavate, compound ; cal. 3-4-toothed, tubu- 

 lar; ovaries becoming fleshy, clavate, prominent; sty. lateral; seed 1, 

 covered by the calyx. Trees, from Japan. 



B. PAPYRIFERA. Paper Mulberry. Lvs. of the younger tree, roundish- 

 ovate, acuminate, mostly undivided, of the adult tree 3-lobed ; fr. hispid. A 

 fine, hardy tree, occasionally cultivated. It is a low, bushy headed tree, with 

 large, light green, downy leaves, and dark red fruit a little larger than peas, 

 with long, purple hairs. 



3. MACLtTRA. Nutt. 



Dedicated to William Maclure, Esq., of the U. S., a distinguished geologist 



Flowers c?9. cT in aments. Calyx 0; ova. numerous, coalescing 

 into a compound, globose fruit, of 1 -seeded, compressed, angular, cu- 

 neiform carpels ; sty. 1, filiform, villous. A lactescent tree, with decid- 

 uous, alternate, entire, ex-stipulate leaves, and axillary spines. 

 M. AURANTIACA. Nutt. Osage Orange. 



A beautiful tree, native on the banks of the Arkansas, &c. Leaves 4 5' 

 by 1 2', glabrous and shining above, strongly veined and paler beneath, on 

 short petioles, ovate or ovate-oblong, margin obscurely denticulate, apex suba- 

 ciiminate, rather coriaceous. The fruit is about the size of an orange, golden- 

 yellow when ripe, suspended by an axillary peduncle amid the dark glossy 



