Morus mesozygia Stapf

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Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Moribane Forest, Mozambique

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Synonyms:	Morus lactea (Sim) Mildbr.
Common names:	African mulberry (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Medium-sized to large, spreading deciduous tree with white latex. Leaves ovate or elliptic, thinly textured, 5-15 cm long, glossy dark green above dull and paler below, hairless, distinctly 3-veined from the base, prominent on both surfaces; apex tapering into a long narrow driptip; margin serrate or dentate, mainly in the apical half. Inflorescences axillary, unisexual on different trees; male flowers in spikes; female flowers in rounded heads. Fruit a subglobose cluster of small berry-like syncarps, c. 1.5 cm in diameter, pale green when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	mesozygia: from meso-, middle and -zygon, joined (Gr); possibly referring to the fact that the segments or syncarps of the fruit are only partially joined, compared to the more compact and completely joined syncarps in the cultivated mul
Habitat:	Occurring in evergreen forest.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Oct - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	From Senegal to Ethiopia and South to Angola, Zambia and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):	Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Cyrestis camillus sublineata (Larval foodplant) spilosoma lineata (Larval foodplant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 19 September 2009
Literature:	Berg, C.C. (1991). Moraceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Pages 14 - 16. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2003). Figs of Southern and South-Central Africa Umdaus Press, South Africa Pages 332 - 335. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 72. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 130. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 166. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 63.

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Flora of Malawi: Morus mesozygia
Flora of Zambia: Morus mesozygia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Morus mesozygia

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Morus mesozygia
African Plant Database: Morus mesozygia
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Morus mesozygia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Morus mesozygia
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Morus mesozygia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Morus mesozygia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Morus mesozygia
JSTOR Plant Science: Morus mesozygia
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Morus mesozygia
Plants of the World Online: Morus mesozygia
Tropicos: Morus mesozygia
Wikipedia: Morus mesozygia