Morinda

Morinda is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae.[1] The generic name is derived from the Latin words morus "mulberry", from the appearance of the fruits, and indica, meaning "of India".[2]

Morinda
Morinda citrifolia
Morinda yucatanensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Subfamily:	Rubioideae
Tribe:	Morindeae
Genus:	Morinda L.[1]
Species
See text
Synonyms
Belicia Lundell Bellynkxia Müll.Arg. Gutenbergia Walp., orth. var. Guttenbergia Zoll. & Moritzi Imantina Hook.f. Pogonanthus Montrouz. Rojoc Adans. Sphaerophora Blume Stigmanthus Lour. Stigmatanthus Roem. & Schult.[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.[3] 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.[4]

Fossil record

The first fossil record for genus Morinda is from fruit of Morinda chinensis found in coal dated from the Eocene 56 to 33.9 million years ago in the Changchang Basin of Hainan Island, South China.[5]

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[6] (Hawaii) Morinda umbellata L. Morinda yucatanensis Greenm.[7]

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

Formerly placed here

• Psychotria muscosa (Jacq.) Steyerm. (as Morinda muscosa Jacq.)[7]

References

1. "Genus: Morinda L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1996-09-17. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
2. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. III: M-Q. CRC Press. p. 1730. ISBN 978-0-8493-2677-6.
3. Sambamurty, A.V.S.S. (2005). Taxonomy of Angiosperms. I. K. International Pvt Ltd. p. 404. ISBN 978-81-88237-16-6.
4. Potterat O, Hamburger M. (2007). "Morinda citrifolia (Noni) fruit--phytochemistry, pharmacology, safety". Planta Med. 73 (3): 191–9. doi:10.1055/s-2007-967115. PMID 17286240.
5. Xianggang Shi, Jianhua Jin, Chuangxing Ye, Weiqiu Liu (2012). "First fruit fossil record of Morinda (Rubiaceae) from China". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 179 (1 July): 13–16. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2012.04.001.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
6. "Morinda". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
7. "GRIN Species Records of Morinda". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2010-11-28.

External links

• World Checklist of Rubiaceae