MORACEAE - Mulberry Family
Trees, shrubs, rarely herbs
Leaves alternate, simple, often lobed, 2 stipules
Flowers unisexual in a variety of inflorescences, including catkins
Wind-pollinated with the exception of Ficus
Fruit a multiple composed of
many small drupes
Seed without endosperm
40 genera, 1000 species, more than 500 species of Ficus
The Moraceae is divided into five subfamilies on the basis of
flower and inflorescence characters. The subfamily Ficeae is unusual
with its flowers in invaginated receptacles (a syconium).
Economic uses - grown for fruits (Morus, Ficus),
rubber (Castilla), timber (Ficus, Maclura), dyes
(Maclura), paper (Broussonetia, Ficus), arrow
poisons, ornamentals
Medicinal uses - Mulberry (Morus) fruits have been used
for lowering fever and root teas for a wide range of ailments.