1222

 Morinda  coreia Buch.-Ham.

Synonym	:	Morinda tinctoria Roxb.i
Family	:	Rubiaceae
Local name	:	Malayalam-    Mannappavitta English  -  Indian Mulberry
Flowering and fruiting period	:	March-June
Distribution	.	Indo-Malesia
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains
Key botanical characters: an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 5-10 m tall. Stem is short and crooked, with rough bark with deep longitudinal cuts. Oppositely arranged leaves are 15-25 cm long, oblong to lancelike. Flowers occur in spherical heads, 3-5 cm acros, on a stalk 2-3 cm long. Near the stalk of the flower-head, there is a one small linear leaf. The flowers are tubular, white, scented, about 2 cm long. Oblong petals are about 1 cm long, 3-7 in number. Stamens as many as petals. The fruit is a green syncarp, 2-2.5 cm diameter.