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Rubiaceae Morinda citrifolia L.

Rubiaceae Morinda citrifolia
| | © R.Wise

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Species information

Description
6m tree, hairless; stipules 1-2cm long and wide, slightly winged on edge; blades 17-30xm long; tufts of hairs in nerve axils only; flower heads 1.5cm diam; corolla tube 6mm long, hairy in throat; fruit (compound) up to 7cm long, fleshy, strongly smelling, drying black.

Interest
Morinda derived from Morus (mulberry) and Indus- of India. Native of Australasia, but widely cultivated and naturalised elsewhere. Also, the fruits can be dispersed by floating in the sea. In India used to produce a dye of various shades of red called "al", obtained mostly from the roots. The fruits have recently attracted interest as an apparently cure-all medicine. Noni is a Hawaian name, where it is a famine food. In the 1880s it was recorded as an Australian aboriginal food, The seeds are buoyant in the sea; Morton 1992 (J. Econ. Bot.) Morton, J. 1992. "The Ocean-Going Noni, or Indian Mulberry (Morinda citrifolia, Rubiaceae) and Some of Its Colorful Relatives." Economic Botany 46 (3): 241-256. In the Caribbean region, the shiny green leaves were used by the Caribs as a poultice for wounds, rheumatic joints, fevers and headaches. The leaves were applied directly to the afflicted area to relieve pain. Polynesians called the plant "noni" and used the ripe fruit as a poultice. The mashed fruit was applied directly to the afflicted area, including deep cuts and broken bones. A medicinal drink was also made from the fruits and used as a remedy for tuberculosis. The fruits were also eaten (raw or cooked) as famine food. Noni fruits and tonic can reportedly cure a variety of ailments ranging from arthritis, rheumatism, sores, boils, and even eliminate head lice. To this day, noni is considered a cure-all and is widely used by Polynesians. Dittmar, A. 1993. "Morinda citrifolia L.--Use in Indigenous Samoan Medicine." Journal of Herbs and Medicinal Plants Vol. 1 (3).

Specimen information

Collection Date
22/06/2001

Collector
W.D. Hawthorne, S.Cable & D. Jules

Specimen Number
627

Location
Garden in town.

Notes
Treelet 4 m tall. FLOWERS: white. FRUIT: green, imm.

Coordinates
Latitude: 12.060000 N   Longitude: 61.420000 W   Altitude: 10