Morus alba L.
Family
Moracea
Synonyms
Morus indica L., Morus atropurpurea Roxb., Morus morettiana Jacq. ex Burr.
Vernacular Names
|
English |
White mulberry. |
|
Indonesia |
Murbei (General), besaran (Javanese). |
|
Philippines |
Amoras (Filipino), amingit (lgorot), mora (Ibanag). |
|
Myanmar |
Posa. |
|
Cambodia |
Mon. |
|
Vietnam |
D[aajlu t[aaf]m, tang. |
|
French |
Murier blanc. |
|
Spanish |
Moral blanco, morera blanca. |
Geographical Distributions
Morus alba is native to China, now widely cultivated in temperate and tropical regions; in Malaysia it is occasionally naturalised, i.e. in the Philippines (Batan Island and Cagayan Province) where it was introduced in 1780.
Description
Morus alba is a small to medium-sized tree that can reach up to 15(-20) m tall. Its bole is up to 70 cm in diametre. The bark surface is dark grey-brown and with horizontal lenticels.
The leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, measuring 5-16 cm x 4-12 cm, rounded to shallowly cordate at the base, acute to acuminate at apex, pubescent on the main veins and with slender petiole 1-3.5 cm long. The male spikes are 1-1.5(-2) cm long while the female spikes are 0.5-1.3 cm long and ovoid.
The syncarp is ovoid and measures 1.5-2.5 cm long.
Ecology / Cultivation
Morus alba can be cultivated at 0-3500 m altitude, but in the humid tropics, it does not produce good fruit when planted at sea level.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
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Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(1): Medicinal and poisonous plants 1.
