Trees of New Yoi-k State 215 



MORACEAE 



Morus alba L. 



White Mulberry 



Habit — A medium-sized tree 30-40 feet in height, with a liuiik diameter of 

 1-3 feet. Bole short, stout, often irregular, tinted and swollen at the base, 

 branching low down into stout, ascending, wide-spreading limbs to form a 

 low, broad, rounded crown. 



Leaves — Alternate, ovate to ovate-oval, 2-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide, 

 acute or acuminate at the apex, rounded or cordate at the base, serrate 

 and variously lobed, at maturity thin, firm, smooth, light green and some- 

 what lustrous above, paler and hairv along the prominent veins beneath, 

 borne on slender, slightly hairv- petioles %-li/4 inches long which exude 

 a milky juice when broken. 



Flowers — Appearing in May when the leaves are about half grown, dioecious, 

 the staminate in cylindrical, pedunculate spikes ^/^-% of an inch long 

 from the axils of the leaves of the season, the pistillate in oblong, pedun- 

 culate, densely-flowered spikes y^-% of an inch long, from the upper 

 leaf-axils. Staminate flower with deeply 4-lobed calyx, its lobes ovate, 

 rounded, revolute toward the apex. Stamens 4, inserted opposite the 

 lobes, at first included but straightening elastically at anthesis and 

 becoming exserted. Pistillate flower with 4-parted calyx. Calyx-lobes 

 ovate to obovate, the outer pair valvate and inclosing the others, becom- 

 ing fleshy and closely investing the ovary in fruit. Pistil consisting of 

 an ovate, flattened, glabrous, pale green ovary surmounted by a short 

 style and 2 white stigmas. 



Fruit - — A semi-fleshy, multiple, pedunculate, oval-oblong syncarp, %-% 

 of an inch long, maturing in July or early August, composed of many 

 small drupes, each inclosed in a fleshy calyx. At maturity the fruit is 

 white or pale pinkish, and rather dry and insipid. Nutlet ovate, pointed 

 light bro^\'n. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, somewhat zigzag, swollen at the nodes, 

 smooth, semi-lustrous, pale yellowish green to browTiish gray, at length 

 dark brown. Lateral twigs numerous, short, giving the crown a bushy, 

 scraggly appearance. Terminal bud absent. Lateral buds alternate, 

 broadly ovate, somewhat appressed and laterally inclined, chestnut-brown, 

 about % of an inch long. Mature bark thin, pale yellowish brown, broadly 

 fissured into long, somewhat wavy, blunt ridges. 



Habitat — Occurs as a "Aveed" tree on waste lands along fences and on rocky 

 hillsides. Xot exacting as to soil requirements. 



Range — Widely naturalized through the agency of birds in eastern North 

 America from southern Canada southward. Originally introduced into 

 this country in an endeavor to establish the silk industry, its leaves fur- 

 nisliing the favorite food of the silk worm. Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — Of no economic significance in the United States. Widely grown in 

 China, Japan, India and about the Mediterranean where the sUk indus- 

 try flourishes. Wood rather hard and heavy, close-grained, pale yellowish 

 brown, \A-ith thick, lighter sapwood. Durable in contact with the soil. 



