MORACEAE. 



The family Moraceae consists of 55 genera which have a distribution similar 

 to the Urtieaceae ; though the number of species of the former is larger in tropical 

 America. The family is closest related to Ulmaceae, but can be distinguished 

 from them very easily by their inflorescence. It is less allied to the Urtieaceae. 

 The family Moraceae is an exceedingly useful one, primarily in their latex, 

 which contains rubber in many species ; second, in their fruits, which have a very 

 pleasant taste, as figs, breadfruit, etc. ; and, third, in the fiber, which is used for 

 various purposes. 



The family is represented in the Hawaiian Islands by two genera, with two 

 widely-spread species. 



KEY TO THE GENEEA. 



Flowers dioecious or monoecious. 



Female flowers in spikes 1. Pseudomorus 



Flowers monoecious. 



Female flowers on a globose receptacle 2. Artocarpus 



PSEUDOMORUS Bureau. 



Embryo subglobose, with a large, curved cotyledon, which encloses the other smaller 

 ones. A tree or shrub with entire or dentate leaves. Flowers monoecious or dioecious; 

 female inflorescence short cylindrical, few flowered. 



The genus Pseudomorus consists of a single species only, which is of wide dis- 

 tribution. Originally found on Norfolk Island. 



Pseudomorus Brunoniana (Endl.) Bureau. 

 Ai ai. 



PSEUDOMORUS BRUNONIANA (Endl.) Bureau, in Ann. Sc. Nat. 5 ser. XI. (1869) 371 

 et in DeCand. Prodr. XVII. (1873) 249;— Hbd. PI. Haw. Isl. (1888) 405;— Del Cast. 

 111. PI. Ins. Mar. Pacif. VII. (1892) 296;— Engler in Engl, et Prantl Pflzfam. Ill, 1 



(1893) 72. — MoTus Brunoniana Endl. Atakta Bot. ( ) t. 32. — Morus pendulina 



Bauer 111. PI. Norfolk, tab. 186, ined., et in Endl. Prodr. PI. Norfolk (1833) no. 

 84;— H. Mann Proc. Am. Acad. (1867) 201. 



Leaves distichous, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, acute, sinuate dentate, rounded or 

 truncate at the base, thin pale shining, glabrous on both faces, chartaceous, flowers 

 monoecious; male spikes in the upper axil, slender 7.5 to 10 cm long on peduncles of about 

 2 to 4 mm; perigone 2 mm, 4- rarely 3-parted; stamens 4, twice as long as the perigone; 

 pistil obcordate, naked; female spikes shorter, often ovoid, at most 12 mm long by 8 mm 

 broad, with few drupes when mature, ovary ovoid, peaked; fruit a fleshy drupe; subglobose, 

 6 to 8 mm, 2 horned with the conical style-bases. 



The Aiai is a milky tree or shrub, reaching a height of sometimes 40 feet. It 

 is clothed in a whitish gray bark and has a trunk of up to 2 feet in diameter. 

 The leaf resembles somewhat the mulberry at first appearance. 



The Aiai is not endemic to Hawaii, but is also found on Norfolk Island and 

 in Australia. In the Hawaiian Islands it may be found on Lanai in the gulches 

 of the main range of Haalelepakai, at an elevation of 2300 feet. It is common 

 on the island of Maui, especially in the dry gulches above Makawao, where the 



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