MORUS 



Moms, Linnasus, Gen. PI. 283 (1737); Bureau, in De CandoUe, Prod. xvii. 237 (1873); Bentham 



et Hooker, Gen. PL iii. 364 (1880); Bailey, Cyd. Amer. Hort. 1033 (1901). 

 Morophorum, Necker, Elem. Bot. iii. 255 (1790). 



Deciduous trees and shrubs belonging to the order Moraceae. Leaves alternate, 

 distichous, simple, stalked, serrate, with or without lobes ; palmately three- to five- 

 nerved at the base, pinnately nerved above ; stipules lateral, lanceolate, early 

 deciduous. 



Flowers monoecious or dioecious, in solitary spikes,^ which arise on the base of 

 the current year's shoot in the axil of a leaf or of a deciduous scale ; calyx deeply 

 divided into four lobes; corolla absent, Staminate spikes elongated, cylindric; stamens 

 four, inserted opposite the rounded calyx-lobes, beneath the minute rudimentary 

 ovary ; filaments ultimately exserted, uncoiling like a spring at the moment of 

 dehiscence of the two-celled anthers, and forcibly scattering the pollen. Pistillate 

 spikes short, oblong ; ovary sessile, one-celled, with a solitary pendulous ovule ; style 

 divided nearly to the base into two stigmatic lobes. Each ovary results in an 

 achene, enclosed in the calyx, which becomes thickened and fleshy. The whole 

 mass of achenes, closely packed together in one spike, forms a multiple fruit, the 

 mulberry superficially resembling a blackberry {Rubus), but very different in 

 structure. 



In winter, the species of Morus show the following characters : — No terminal 

 bud is formed, the tip of the branchlet dying off in early summer, and leaving a 

 scar at the apex of the twig. Buds all axillary, arranged in two ranks, ovoid, 

 acuminate ; scales, five to seven, closely imbricated in two ranks, the inner 

 accrescent and falling in spring, marking the base of the shoot with ring-like scars. 

 Leaf-scars on prominent cushions, nearly circular, concave with a slight rim, marked 

 on the surface by an irregular group of dots. Stipule-scars linear, one on each side 

 of the leaf-scar. 



About eight species of Morus are known, occurring in North America, Central 

 America, Western South America, Western Asia, China, Japan, Indo-China, and the 

 high mountains of the Indian Archipelago. Three species have been long in 

 cultivation which are distinguishable as follows : — 



I. Morus nigra, Linnaeus. Native country uncertain, probably Western Asia. 

 See p. 1606. 



' Androgynous spikes have often been observed on M. alba and M. rubra, growing in the Arnold Arboretum. Cf. 

 Garden and Forest, viii. 223 (1895). 



1605 



