''Morinda'' is a genus of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s in the
madder
''Rubia'' is the type genus of the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which also contains ''Coffea'' (coffee). It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and subshrubs native to the Old World.
The genus and it ...
family,
Rubiaceae
Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole ( ...
.
The generic name is derived from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
words ''morus'' "
mulberry
''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of 19 species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 subordinat ...
", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
".
Description
Distributed in all
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
regions of the world, ''Morinda'' includes 80
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...
s,
shrub
A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...
s or
vine
A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
s. All ''Morinda'' species bear
aggregate or
multiple fruit
Multiple fruits, also called collective fruits, are fruiting bodies formed from a cluster of flowers, the ''inflorescence''. Each flower in the inflorescence produces a fruit, but these mature into a single mass. After flowering, the mass is call ...
s that can be fleshy (like ''Morinda citrifolia'') or dry. Most species of this
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
originate in the area of
Borneo
Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...
,
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
, Northern
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and
New Caledonia
New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...
.
In
traditional Japanese, Korean and Chinese medicine, ''
Morinda citrifolia
''Morinda citrifolia'' is a fruit-bearing tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, which was spread across the Pacific by Polynesian sailors. The species is now cultivated throughout the tropics and widel ...
'' is considered to be a
herb
Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...
with biological properties, although there is no confirmed evidence of clinical efficacy.
Fossil record
The first
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...
record for genus ''Morinda'' is from fruit of ''Morinda chinensis'' found in
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal i ...
dated from the
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...
in the Changchang Basin of
Hainan Island
Hainan is an island province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally means "South of the Sea ...
,
South China
South China ( zh, s=, p=Huá'nán, j=jyut6 naam4) is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is ...
.
Species
''
Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
History
Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...
''
[ currently (2024) includes:
# '']Morinda angolensis
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed ...
''
# ''Morinda angustifolia
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubia, madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "Morus (plant), mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Des ...
''
# ''Morinda asteroscepa
''Morinda asteroscepa'' is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is found in Malawi and Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered ...
'' (Malawi
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
, Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
)
# '' Morinda bracteata'' (synonym ''M. citrifolia'' var. ''bracteata'')
# '' Morinda buchii''
# '' Morinda carnosa''
# '' Morinda chrysorhiza''
# ''Morinda citrifolia
''Morinda citrifolia'' is a fruit-bearing tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, which was spread across the Pacific by Polynesian sailors. The species is now cultivated throughout the tropics and widel ...
'' – Noni, great morinda, aal (Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
)
# ''Morinda corneri
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed i ...
''
# '' Morinda elliptica''
# ''Morinda fasciculata
''Morinda fasciculata'' is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east a ...
'' (Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
)
# ''Morinda hoffmannioides
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed i ...
''
# '' Morinda latibractea''
# '' Morinda leiantha''
# '' Morinda longiflora''
# '' Morinda longipetiolata''
# '' Morinda longissima''
# ''Morinda lucida
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubia, madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "Morus (plant), mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Des ...
''
# '' Morinda mefou''
# '' Morinda moaensis''
# ''Morinda morindoides
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed i ...
''
# '' Morinda nana''
# '' Morinda pacifica''
# '' Morinda panamensis''
# '' Morinda pedunculata''
# '' Morinda persicifolia''
# ''Morinda piperiformis
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed i ...
''
# '' Morinda pubescens'' (synonyms: '' Morinda coreia'' , ''Morinda tinctoria
''Morinda pubescens'' is an Asian species of plants in the family Rubiaceae; it is a shrub or small tree and has been recorded from India, Sri Lanka, Indochina and Java, according to ''Plants of the World Online''.
References
External links
* ...
'' )
# '' Morinda ramosa''
# '' Morinda rosiflora''
# '' Morinda royoc'' (synonym ''M. yucatanensis'' Greenm.Morinda undulata
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Description
Distributed i ...
''
Formerly placed here
*'' Morinda jasminoides'' A.Cunn.
Allan Cunningham (13 July 1791 – 27 June 1839) was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his expeditions into uncolonised areas of eastern Australia to collect plants and report on the suitability of the land for grazing ...
– Sweet morinda (from Eastern Australia) is a synonym of '' Gynochthodes jasminoides''
*'' Morinda officinalis'' F.C.How (from China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
) is a synonym of '' Gynochthodes officinalis''
*''Morinda trimera
''Gynochthodes trimera'', synonym ''Morinda trimera'' and known as noni kuahiwi is a species of flowering tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United State ...
'' Hillebr. – Noni kuahiwiHawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
) is a synonym of '' Gynochthodes trimera''.
*''Morinda muscosa'' Jacq.Psychotria
''Psychotria'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the coffee family Rubiaceae, with over 1,600 species. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are small understorey trees in tropical forests. Some species are endan ...
muscosa'' (Jacq.) Steyerm.
* Note: Plants in the former genus ''Appunettia
''Morinda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubia, madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words ''morus'' "Morus (plant), mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and ''indica'', meaning "of India".
Des ...
'' are now considered synonymous with ''Morinda''.
References
External links
World Checklist of Rubiaceae
*
*
{{Authority control
Rubiaceae genera