Common Name: Indian mulberry. Tamil Name: Nuna maram.
India mulberry is a small tree that grows to a height of about 5 meters and is commonly seen farm lands and road sides in Tamilnadu. The tree has a pale colored bark with vertical fissures. The simple leafs are arranged in an opposite manner. The leaf stalk and leaf length measure around 1.5 cm and 17 cm respectively. The leaf shape is elliptical to lanceolate, margin is entire; leaf base is cuneate and apex acuminate. The inflorescence is in the form of terminal globose head. The fragrant flowers are around 2.1 cm long, with five petals united in a funnel-like manner. The flower petals are white in color and curved back in appearance. The flower has 5 stamens; the anthers are seen sticking out of the tubular flower. The stigma is bifid. The fruit is in the form of a syncarp which is greenish in color. The tree is cultivated for its dye ‘morindone’, which is used for dyeing cotton and silk textile products. The young plants are harvested and the chemical is isolated from its roots. The wood is strong and is used to make agricultural tools. The tree propagates via root eruptions and by seed germination.
