The Trees of Texas 89 
Leaves rough above, pubescent beneath, fruit red 
CONTE Cho) I pe ee ne a 1. M. rubra. 
Leaves smooth on both sides or nearly so. 
Deven -iarer, 2-96°-6 lone ol yuk wll. cs. -.. 2..M. alba. 
Leaves small 1-%’ long, %’ wide............. 3. M. microphylla. 
1. Morus rubra L. Red Mulberry. A tree 60°-70° high, 
and 3°-4° in diameter. The trunk is generally short and the 
branches stout, forming a dense rounded broad crown. The 
bark is dark brown somewhat tinged with red, 14’-34’ thick, 
fissured into long thin plates. Leaves broadly ovate or ovate- 

Fig. 25. Morus rubra. 
orbicular, contracted at the apex into a long point, heart- 
shaped or rounded at base, coarsely serrate, frequently 2-7, 
mostly 3, lobed, smooth above, hairy beneath, thin, dark 
bluish green, turning yellow before falling from the tree. The 
flowers appear with the opening of the leaves; pistillate aments 
about half as long as the staminate. Fruit cylindric about 
1’-114’ long, dark purple or alinost black when mature. 
Massachusetts to Ontario; Michigan and Nebraska, south 
to Florida and Texas. Occurs most frequently in moist situa- 
tions. In Texas it extends to the valley of the Colorado River. 
The wood is light, soft, but tough, takes a high polish, dur- 
able in contact with the soil. It has been used for cross ties 
