Morinda Explained

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".^[1]

Description

Distributed in all tropical regions of the world, Morinda includes 80 species of trees, shrubs or vines. All Morinda species bear aggregate or multiple fruits that can be fleshy (like Morinda citrifolia) or dry.^[2] Most species of this genus originate in the area of Borneo, New Guinea, Northern Australia and New Caledonia.

In traditional Japanese, Korean and Chinese medicine, Morinda citrifolia is considered to be a herb with biological properties, although there is no confirmed evidence of clinical efficacy.^[3]

Fossil record

The first fossil record for genus Morinda is from fruit of Morinda chinensis found in coal dated from the Eocene in the Changchang Basin of Hainan Island, South China.^[4]

Selected species

Morinda angustifolia Roxb. Morinda asperula Standl. Morinda asteroscepa K.Schum. (Malawi, Tanzania) Morinda citrifolia L.  - Noni, great morinda, aal (Indian Ocean) Morinda citrifolia var. bracteata (Roxb.) Hook.f. Morinda citrifolia var. citrifolia L. Morinda fasciculata Benth. (Ecuador) Morinda jasminoides A.Cunn.  - Sweet morinda (Eastern Australia) Morinda longiflora G.Don Morinda lucida Benth. Morinda morindoides (Baker) Milne-Redh.

Morinda nana Craib Morinda officinalis F.C.How (China) Morinda persicifolia Buch.-Ham. Morinda panamensis Seem. Morinda parvifolia Bartl. ex DC. Morinda pubescens Sm. Morinda royoc L. Morinda tinctoria Roxb. Morinda trimera Hillebr.  - Noni kuahiwi (Hawaii) Morinda umbellata L. Morinda yucatanensis Greenm.^[5]

Plants in the former genus Appunettia are now considered synonymous with Morinda.

Formerly placed here

• Psychotria muscosa (Jacq.) Steyerm. (as Morinda muscosa Jacq.)^[5]

External links

• World Checklist of Rubiaceae

Notes and References

1. Book: Quattrocchi, Umberto . CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names . III: M-Q . 2000 . CRC Press . 978-0-8493-2677-6 . 1730.
2. Book: Sambamurty, A.V.S.S. . Taxonomy of Angiosperms . I. K. International Pvt Ltd . 2005 . 978-81-88237-16-6 . 404.
3. Morinda citrifolia (Noni) fruit--phytochemistry, pharmacology, safety . Potterat O, Hamburger M. . Planta Med . 2007 . 73 . 3 . 191–9 . 17286240 . 10.1055/s-2007-967115. free .
4. First fruit fossil record of Morinda (Rubiaceae) from China. Xianggang Shi . Jianhua Jin . Chuangxing Ye . Weiqiu Liu . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 179. 1 July. 2012. 13–16. 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2012.04.001. 2012RPaPa.179...13S .
5. Web site: GRIN Species Records of Morinda . https://archive.today/20121212230941/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?7805 . 2012-12-12 . Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture . 2010-11-28 .