Morus australis Poir.

Economically important plant species.

Flower blooms during March to April. Fruit ripes during June to August.

These trees are monoecious, i.e., male and female flowers occur separately in the same tree. Anemophilous pollination.

Seeds are passed through the alimentary canals of birds and other animals that feed on the fruits.

A moderate sized deciduous tree, sometimes grows as shrub. Leaves ovate caudate-acuminate, lobed, membranous, pubescent when young. Flower appear with young leaves. Spikes lax flowered, hairy. Fruit ovoid or sub globose, greenish-yellow when young, red at maturity and ultimately black when ripe. Although the plant is cultivated to rear silk worms, often escape to the forest, found wild in the river banks.

Shrub or small tree, Bark grayish brown, blaze whitish, exding copious milky latex. Leaves ovate, caudate-acuminate, 2.5-16 x 2-12 cm long, sharply serrate, obtuse, lobed, membranous, scaberulous, pubescent when young, base 3-nerved, truncate, rounded or cordate, petiole 1-3 cm long, stipules linear lanceolate. Inflorescence axillary near the leaf shoots. Male catkins 1-3 cm long, laxly flowered, hairy, calyx lobes elliptic, anthers yellow. Female inflorescence 0.5-1 cm long, calyx lobes 4, green, obovate, styles long, hairy, connate below. Fruit ovoid or subglobose, green, reddish, ultimately blackish purple when fully ripe.

Susceptible to insect pests, borers and bug infestations.

Notes: Western Ghats , High Altitude, Cultivated, Native of East Asiatic Region

Deciduous forests and cultivated.

Not evaluated by the IUCN Redlist.

Ripe fruits are eaten fresh which are very delicious.

Fruits are edible. Leaves used as fodder and to rear silk worms.