Morinda citrifolia L.
Family
Rubiaceae
Synonyms
Morinda bracteata Roxb.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Mengkudu besar, mengkudu jantan. |
| English | Indian mulberry |
| Indonesia | Pace (Javanese), cangkudu (Sundanese), mengkudu (Malay). |
| Philippines | Bankoro, tumbong-aso (Tagalog), apatot (Ilokano). |
| Burma (Myanmar) | Al. |
| Cambodia | Nhoër srôk, nhoër thôm’. |
| Laos | Nhoo baanz. |
| Thailand | Yo baan (central), mataa-suea (northern), yae-yai (Karen, Mae HongSon). |
| Vietnam | Nh[af]u l[os] chanh, ngao, nh[af]u n[us]i. |
| French | Morinde |
Geographical Distributions
M. citrifolia is possibly indigenous in tropical Asia and tropical Australia. Man and sea currents may have distributed it. It is naturalised in many tropical regions, and is now in fact almost pantropical.
Description
This is a shrub or small tree, which can grow up to 8(-12) m tall.
The leaves are elliptical to elliptical-lance-shaped or ovate with a size of (10-)15-30(-50) cm x 4-17 cm.
The inflorescence is solitary in axils of stipules and peduncled. The white petal tube is slightly longer than its lobes.
Fruit is compound and egg-shaped, up to 10 cm x 6 cm and whitish-yellow or whitish-green.
Ecology / Cultivation
M. citrifolia occurs in various habitats, along seashores and in secondary vegetation near the coast, usually introduced and naturalised, but also up to 1500 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
Read More
1) Cultivation
References
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Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3. 2003.
