Spec. Plant Willd. iv. 368.

Cl. 21. Ord.4. Monoecia Tetrandria. Nat. ord. Urticaceae.

G. 1664. 31ale. Calyx four-parted. Corolla none.

------------Female. Calyx four-leafed. Corolla none. Calyx becoming a berry. Seed one.

Species 5. M. nigra.1 Common Mulberry-tree. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 712. t. 243.

Officinal. Mora, Lond. Dub. Mulberries.

Syn. Murier noir (F.), Schwarze Maulbeeren (G.), Morone o Gelso (I.), Moras (S.).

This species of mulberry is a native of Persia, whence it was brought to Italy, and gradually spread over Europe. It is now abundantly cultivated in this country, flowering in June, and ripening its fruit in September. The tree, which seldom exceeds thirty feet in height, is covered with a brownish grey bark: the leaves are numerous, on short footstalks, cordate, serrated, veined, about three inches long and nearly as broad; rough on the upper surface, which is of a deep green colour, and covered with minute warts; and paler and villous underneath. The male flowers, which are on the same tree as the female, are in close roundish catkins, composed of caducous florets, which consist of four concave, oval, erect, calycinal leaves, enclosing four filaments bearing simple anthers; the female flowers contain a roundish germen, crowned with two divaricated styles furnished with simple stigmas, enclosed in a calyx of four ovate, concave, erect leaves; which, after flowering, swell, become succulent and coloured, investing the seed; and, many of them being crowded together on one peduncle, form a spurious compound berry, that has the appearance of a real, succulent berry, composed of a number of smaller berries.1

Theophrasti.

Qualities.-Mulberries are inodorous, have a sweet, acidulous taste, and abound with a deep blood-red juice. Hermb-stadt found that their acidulous quality depends on the presence of tartaric acid, and I ascertained that they contain also jelly and mucus.

Medical properties and uses.-This fruit is cooling and laxative; and, when not too ripe, allays thirst and proves exceedingly grateful in febrile diseases. It is seldom, however, used medicinally. When eaten too freely, as an article of food, it is apt to occasion diarrhoea. Its colouring matter is perceptible in the urine.

Officinal preparation.-Syrupus Mori, L.