220 



URTICACEtE. 



Morus. 



1. MORUS. Tourn. ; Endl. gen. 1856. MULBERRY. 



[From the Greek, morea ; the mulberry."] 



Flowers in spikes, usually monoecious. Staminate spikes loose. Calyx 4-parted ; the 

 segments ovate, concave. Stamens 4. Fertile spikes dense. Calyx 4-parted, becoming 

 baccate. Ovary one-celled, or 2-celled with one of the cells smaller : ovule suspended : 

 styles 2. Achenium ovate, compressed, covered by the succulent calyx. — Trees, with 

 alternate stipular leaves. 



1. Morus rubra, Linn. Red Mulberry. 



Leaves cordate-ovate (on the young sprouts more or less palmately lobed), serrate, rough 

 above, pubescent underneath ; flowers mostly dioecious ; fruit dark purple. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 

 986 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 179 ; Michx. sylv. 2. t. 116; Pursh fl. 2. p. 639 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 575 ; 

 Torr. compend. p. 352; Beck, hot. p. 316; Darlingt.fi. Cest. p. 524; Loud. enc. tr. 

 shr. p. . . . 



A tree 15-25 feet high and 4-8 inches in diameter, with spreading branches. Leaves 

 3-7 inches long, thin, more or less cordate at the base, acuminate, undivided or variously 

 lobed : petioles ^ - 1 i inch long. Stipules linear, membranaceous, caducous. Flowers 

 greenish, in axillary pedunculate spikes : sterile spike cylindrical, an inch or more in length, 

 pendulous ; pistillate spike thick, becoming in maturity an oblong dark purple juicy fruit of 

 a pleasant sweetish taste. 



Woods, in rich soil ; frequent in the valley of the Hudson, but rare in the western counties. 

 Fl. May. Fr. July. The wood is of a yellowish tinge, fine grained, and though light, is 

 very durable. It is a small tree, however, in the Slate of New- York, and its wood is not 

 much used. 



2. Morus alba, Linn. White Mulberry. 

 Leaves obliquely cordate-ovate or somewhat lobed, acute, serrate, smooth and shining ; 



fruit whitish. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 986 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 574; Beck, hot. p. 316; Darlingt.fi. 

 Cest. p. 524. 



A tree 20 - 30 feet high and 6-12 inches in diameter, much branched. Leaves about 

 3 inches long, with a short acumination, crenately serrate, sometimes a little lobed. Fruit 

 shorter than in the preceding species, yellowish white or rarely purple, of a sweetish and 

 somewhat nauseous taste. 



About habitations, and borders of old fields ; frequent in many places, having been intro- 

 duced many years ago as food for silkworms. Other species of mulberry have superseded 

 it for this purpose. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



