Moraceae: Characters, Economic Importance, Distribution and Types

Diagnostic characters of family Moraceae:

1. Habit: Mostly tree herbs, shrubs or vines.

2. Roots: Tap root.

3. Stem: Woody: gum exudes from the stem.

4. Leaves: Petiolate: alternate: simple: stipulate.

5. Inflorescence: Catkin or Hypanthodium.

6. Flower: Small inconspicuous: bracteate and bracteolate: actinomorphic; incomplete, unisexual: hypogynous.

7. Perianth: 4, in two whorls.

8. Stamens in male flowers of Moraceae: 4-5 stamens; opposite to the perianth.

9. Carpel in female flowers of Moraceae: Carpels 2: Simple, ovary superior; apocarpous; basal placentation.

10. Fruits: An achene. drupe or nuts, sometimes syconus.

11. Seed: Endospermic or non-endospermic.

Floral formula of Moraceae:

Floral diagram of Moraceae:

Economic Importance of Moraceae:

1. Fruits: Some of members / trees of this family Moraceae yield edible fruits. Some of these are Mulberry‘ (si), fig (ssl), bread fruit.

2. Used for shade: Some trees of this family are grown for their excellent shade from sun rays. These trees are peepal (Jy), banyan (“42 1S 355:).

3. Rubber: Fiscus elastica (rubber tree) is cultivated form obtaining commercial rubber.

4. Cultivation of silk worm: The leaves of mulberry are used for cultivation of silk worms. Silk worms produce / yield silk which has great commercial value globally.

5. Paper: The bark of Paper mulberry is used for paper making.

6. Commercial fibers: Cannabis yields commercial fibers. These fibers are used in making ropes.

7. Drugs: Some plants of this family give important drugs and narcotics (). Some of these are bhang, Charas.

8. Paints and soaps: The seeds of cannabis (hemps) give oil which is used in paints and soaps.

Distribution pattern of family Moraceae:

The Moraceae family contains 55 genera and 1000 species. They are mostly distributed areas. Some species are also found in temperate regions.

Common species of family Moraceae:

1. Atorus alba (Mulberry).

2. Ficus carica (fig).

3. Ficus Bengalensis (banyan).

4. Ficus elastica (Rubber plant).

5. Ficus religiosa.