Morus alba

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:MORACEAE
Species:Morus alba L.
Common Name:White Mulberry; Silkworm Mulberry; Russian Mulberry
Habitat:Various open sites.
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Tree
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:MOAL
Plant Notes:White Mulberry is an introduced deciduous tree in the Mulberry family (Moraceae). It is native to eastern Asia, but has been widely planted as food for silkworms, for food, and as a shade tree. It can be found throughout Alabama. It is most common in cities where it occurs around parks, in vacant lots, along railroads, and in disturbed woodlands. White Mulberry grows as a shrub or tree up to 50 feet in height. The bark on older trunks is brown and furrowed, with long narrow ridges. Young shoots have prominent reddish, elliptic lenticels. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate in outline, with serrate margins. Leaves on vigorous stems are often deeply and irregularly lobed. The upper surface of the leaf is glabrous or sparsely pubescent and shiny. The lower surface of the leaf is glabrous or with hairs along the major veins or in tufts in the axils of major veins. Flowers are produced in greenish-yellow catkins. The fruit is a syncarp (a fleshy compound fruit composed of the fruits of several flowers). At maturity the fruit are white, purple, or black in color. The fruit is edible and can be eaten raw or made into pies, jellies, or jams. Many species of wildlife, especially birds, consume the fruit. White mulberry was introduced in the United States during colonial times in a failed attempt to establish the silkworm industry in this country. It has since spread widely and is considered an invasive species in many areas. White Mulberry is very variable and often confused with our native Red Mulberry (Morus rubra Linnaeus). Red Mulberry tends to be more “tree-like” in growth form with leaves that are pubescent on both surfaces and scabrous (rough) to the touch on the upper surface. The upper surface of Red Mulberry leaves tends to be dull and not lustrous in appearance. Some individuals are intermediate in characteristics and are of possible hybrid origin.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Not Native, FACU- (NWI)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyMORACEAE - Mulberry family
Genus Morus
Species Morus alba L. - White Mulberry; Silkworm Mulberry; Russian Mulberry

Citation

Citation Morus alba Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 986. 1753.
Basionym: **
Type: CHINA: Without data (lectotype: LINN 1112.1 [upper left]). Lectotypified by Rao & C.E. Jarvis, Taxon 35: 705. 1986.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Morus alba var. tatarica Morus alba Linnaeus, var. tatarica (Linnaeus) Seringe, Descr. Muriers 202. 1855.Morus tatarica Linnaeus 1753. 
Morus tatarica Morus tatarica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 986. 1753. Without data (lectotype: 1112.9). Lectotypified by Rao & C. E. Jarvis, Taxon 35: 706. 1986.
Morus nigra    

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Butler, Calhoun, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Etowah, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, St. Clair, Sumter

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1883 - 1883

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
USAM000008646 Baldwin 09 Jun 1969 Kral, Robert
35188		 USAM
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0035231 Limestone 02 Jun 2017 England, J. Kevin
7879		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0019514 Etowah 23 Aug 1996 Kral, Robert
86631		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
AUA000038512 Morgan 3 Jul 1966 Hocking, George M.
 AUA
Morus Alba L.
USAM000008647 Mobile 06 Mar 1976 LeLong, Michel G.
8985		 USAM
Morus alba Linnaeus
ALNHS00003796 Marengo 19 Apr 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2226		 ALNHS
Morus alba L.
SAMF0002165 Calhoun 07 Jun 2005 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3215		 SAMF
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000007169 Dale 03 Jun 1998 Rundell, Hannelore
585		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA000041071 Dallas 24 Aug 2010 Barger, T. Wayne
OC263		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
AUA_ACC_67290 Morgan 8 Apr 2006 Shaneyfelt, Dustin
19		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
ALNHS00003443 Houston 28 May 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
DTP-209		 ALNHS
Morus alba L.
AUA000038203 Limestone 2 Jun 2017 England, J. Kevin
7879		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
TROY000007168 Crenshaw 20 Apr 1991 Flowers, Kyle M.
3		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133912 Colbert 1 Jun 1969 Sizemore, Donny
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000043861 Houston 24 Apr 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27335		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
UNA00062223 Montgomery 15 Apr 2004 Diamond, Alvin R.
14321		 UNA
Morus alba L.
UWAL0043402 Baldwin 08 Jul 2000 Larsen, Harry S.
460		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
TROY000007170 Dale 18 Jul 1999 Prazinko, Brian F.
s.n.		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0016482 Pike 13 May 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25094		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0011545 Butler 29 Apr 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
22996		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0009601 Marengo 02 Oct 2011 England, J. Kevin
3198		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000032543 Pike 26 Apr 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22003		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133920 St. Clair 11 May 1984 Spaulding, Daniel D.
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000046613 Autauga 02 May 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
710		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
UNA00031112 Mobile 10 Apr 1883 Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Morus alba L.
SAMF0002164 Marengo 24 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6410		 SAMF
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0050644 Calhoun 10 Oct 1972 Albright, Miles
s.n.		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
UWAL0032988 Conecuh 23 Apr 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27334		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0012055 Sumter 22 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6398		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000007167 Coffee 03 May 2000 Martin, Brian H.
674		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_67636 Macon 21 Apr 2007 Tucker, T.C.
07-22		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
JSU133919 Morgan 13 Jul 1986 Spaulding, Daniel D.
9044s		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000043857 Conecuh 23 Apr 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27334		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
SAMF0002162 Jefferson 25 Mar 2007 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3647		 SAMF
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0045598 Mobile 24 Sep 2018 Horne, Howard E.
4662		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
SAMF0002160 Jefferson 13 May 1965 Myers, Martha Crystal
s.n.		 SAMF
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU139026 Jackson 30 Jun 1996 Spaulding, Daniel D.
8985		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133913 Etowah 11 May 1967 Prater, Pat
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000034672 Jefferson 03 Apr 2009 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13154		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0046505 Autauga 02 May 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
710		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000035926 Montgomery 28 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6422		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000038715 Marengo 08 Mar 2012 England, J. Kevin
3240		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_63485 Montgomery 15 Apr 2004 Diamond, Alvin R.
14321		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
USAM000008645 Mobile 16 Apr 1968 LeLong, Michel G.
4341		 USAM
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133907 Calhoun 5 Oct 1986 Lawler, Carol L.
1323		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_48698 Pike 22 Apr 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
4503		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
JSU133908 Calhoun 19 Jun 1969 Tudor, Jessica
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133917 Marshall 15 Jun 1969 Roberts, Hazel
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
TROY000007172 Pike 18 Apr 1989 Blanton, Lola M.
s.n.		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133915 Lauderdale 4 Aug 1996 Whetstone, R. David
18338		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
ALNHS00004256 Etowah 14 Jul 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2644		 ALNHS
Morus alba L.
UWAL0009251 Montgomery 28 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6422		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
UWAL0009678 Jefferson 03 Apr 2009 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13154		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
UWAL0009579 Marengo 24 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6410		 UWAL
Morus alba L.
TROY000040966 Sumter 22 Apr 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6398		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
SAMF0002161 Montgomery 01 May 1965 Myers, Martha Crystal
 SAMF
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133916 Madison 11 May 1996 Spaulding, Daniel D.
8295		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0010310 Marengo 08 Mar 2012 England, J. Kevin
3240		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133914 Jackson 13 Aug 1998 Brodeur, Kristin R.
1217		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
JSU133918 Marshall 2 Aug 1982 Minor, Donna K.
s.n.		 JSU
Morus alba Linnaeus
UWAL0004859 Pike 26 Apr 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22003		 UWAL
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_16806 Lauderdale 21 May 1968 Demaree, Delzie
57934		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
TROY000052124 Montgomery 25 Apr 2021 Diamond, Alvin R.
29589		 TROY
Morus alba Linnaeus
AUA000031186 Escambia 25 Jun 2010 Hansen, Curtis J.
4835		 AUA
Morus Alba L.
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