Morus alba (White Mulberry) : Morphology, Uses - INDIAN FORESTRY

Morus alba (White Mulberry)

 Belongs to the family Moraceae.
This is native to China. and Usually used in the practice of Sericulture.
Widely distributed across the world,it is commonly known as "White Mulberry"
and in INDIA, citizens name it as  शहतूत.

CHARACTERISTICS :-

 LEAF 

Leaf can be "lobed" i.e. presence of lobes, or "Un-lobed"i.e. complete.

Alternate

Simple

Roughly Orbicular in shape

Roughly smooth from above.

 

 

 

 

FLOWER

Species can be monoecious or dioecious. 

Male flowers are Narrow and LONGER than female flowers.

Whereas, female flowers are plump and shorter than male flowers.

 

BARK

Orange-Brown with lenticels (when young) becoming gray with long and narrow irregular ridges.

MEDICINAL USE

The leaves are taken internally in the treatment of :-

Sore throats

colds

eye infections

nose bleeds.

The stems is used in the treatment of High Blood Pressure,Chronic diseases in digestive tracts,Rheumatic pains.

The fruit has much significance in traditional Chinese medicine, which uses it to treat prematurely graying hair & also used to purify blood and treat constipation and diabetes in Chinese medicine.

By 

- Ashutosh Lohani.