392 LXI. RUBIACEjE [Morinda 



26. MORINDA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 155. 



Erect or climbing shrubs or trees, stipules connate, sheathing. Fl. white, 

 sessile on a globose receptacle, the calyces more or less connate, forming dense 

 peduncled fl. heads, which are solitary or arranged in panicles or umbels. 

 Calyx-limb short, truncate. Corolla-lobes 4-7, coriaceous, valvate in bud. 

 Stamens 4-7. Ovary 2- or by the prolongation of the placentas spuriously 4- 

 celled, style slender, with 2 stigmatic lobes. Fr. as a rule formed of the succu- 

 lent coalescing drupes, enclosing many cartilaginous or bony 1 -seeded pyrenes, 

 which sometimes cohere, drupes rarely free. Species 40, tropics of both hemi- 

 spheres. 



A. Corolla 5-7-merous, tube \ in. or longer. 



1. M. citrifolia, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 155. Vern A1, Ach, Hind. 



A large shrub or small tree, glabrous, 1. shining, elliptic, blade 6-10, narrowed 

 into pet. J-f in. long, stipules large, broadly oblong or semilunar, often 2-3- 

 fid. Peduncles |-1J in., usually solitary, leaf-opposed, the supporting leaf 

 not developed, fl. 5-merous, corolla-tube j-£, fr. of many drupes coalescent 

 into a fleshy head, pale greenish-white, 1 in. diam. 



Indigenous in the Darjeeling, Terai and outer hills (Ganihle, List 49) and (var. 

 hracteata) on the Andamans (Kurz) as well as along the coast of the Konkan, quite 

 near the sea (Talbot). Cultivated largely in India and Burma on account of the roots, 

 which yield a dye. Fl. H. S., It. S. China, Formosa. M. hracteata, Boxb., Wight 111. 

 t. 126, is a variety, the calyx-limb with a lanceolate or spathulate foliaceous lobe. In 

 Indian Timbers Ed. II. 423 Gamble restricts M. citrifolia, Linn, to the form growing 

 on the sea coast. The matter demands further research. 



2. M. tinctoria, Roxb.— Syn. M. citrifolia, Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 220; M. 

 exserta, Roxb.; Brandis F. Fl. 277; M. leiantha, Kurz; Vern. Al, Ach, 

 Hindi ; Macldi, Togaru, Tel. ; Nibase, Burin. 



A small or middle-sized tree, usually pubescent or tomentose, bark spongy, 

 deeply cracked, greyish-yellow. L. not shining, elliptic-obovate or lanceolate, 

 blade 4-8, narrowed into petiole A-l in. long. Peduncles solitary, axillary or 

 leaf -opposed, frequently in short trichotomous panicles at the ends of branchlets. 

 Fl. scented, 5-merous, corolla usually tomentose outside, tube A-f in. long, 

 anthers exserted or included. Syncarpium f in. diam. 



Behar, Central Provinces, Peninsula. Burma, Upper and Lower, often in Engdain. 

 Frequently cultivated (Berar D. B. March 1877). Fl. March- June. M. tomentosa, 

 Heyne, is the softly tomentose form. 3. M. angustifolia, Boxb. Cor. PI. t. 237. Vern. 

 Assu, Assam; Nipase-gyi, Burm. Sikkim Terai and lower hills. Assam. Khasi hills, 

 Upper Burma. Pegu (wild and cultivated by Karens). Tenasserim. Malay Penins. 

 A large glabrous shrub, 1. thinly membranous,, lanceolate, blade 4-12, narrowed into 

 petiole J-l in. long, fl. numerous, fragrant, peduncles axillary or leaf-opposed, corolla 

 glabrous, drupes free. 4. M. persicsefolia, Ham. Pegu, Tenasserim, Malay Penins. A 

 low shrub or undershrub, 1. oblanceolate or linear, stipules subulate, peduncles short, 

 leaf-opposed, drupes coalescent. 



B. Corolla 4-, rarely 5-merous, tube less than J in. long. 



5. M. umbellata, Linn. West side of the Peninsula in evergreen forests from Coorg 

 southwards. Khasi hills, Tenasserim. Malay Peninsula. Ceylon moist region to 

 4,000 ft., common. China. A large shrub, climbing by long slender branches, inter- 

 nodes long, 1. usually glabrous and lanceolate, blade 2-5, pet. slender J in. long, fl. 

 heads in terminal sessile umbels, peduncles 5-10, glabrous or tomentose, i-1 in. long, 

 corolla almost rotate, throat bearded. Syncarpium J in. diam. irregularly lobed. 6. 

 M. villosa, Hook. f. Khasi hills. A climbing shrub, branchlets, underside of 1. and 

 peduncles tomentose, 1. obovate-elliptic, acuminate, 4-5 in. long, sec. n. 10-15 pair, 

 prominent beneath. Fl. heads in terminal umbels, drupes confluent. 



Rennellia speciosa, Hook. f. — Morinda speciosa, Kurz. Tenasserim. Malay Penins. 

 and Archip. An evergreen climbing shrub, quite glabrous. L. thinly coriaceous, 

 lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, blade 6-9, pet. A-l in. long. Fl. violet, sweet-scented, 

 3-6 in one head, heads shortly pedicelled, arranged in compact terminal pedunculate 

 panicles, calyx-limb shortly 4-toothed. 



