| 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[1] | |
| |
Morinda is a genus of flowering plants in the madder family, Rubiaceae. The generic name is derived from the Latin words morus 'mulberry', referring to the appearance of the fruits, and indica, meaning 'of India'.[2]
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]
Species
As of January 2026[update], Plants of the World Online accepts the following 39 species:[1]
- Morinda angolensis (R.D.Good) F.White
- Morinda angustifolia Roxb.
- Morinda asteroscepa K.Schum.
- Morinda bracteata Roxb.
- Morinda buchii Urb.
- Morinda carnosa Venturina, E.E.L.Suarez & Alejandro
- Morinda chrysorhiza (Thonn.) DC.
- Morinda citrifolia L.
- Morinda corneri K.M.Wong
- Morinda elliptica (Hook.f.) Ridl.
- Morinda fasciculata Benth.
- Morinda hoffmannioides Standl.
- Morinda latibractea Valeton
- Morinda leiantha Kurz
- Morinda longiflora G.Don
- Morinda longipetiolata Steyerm.
- Morinda longissima Y.Z.Ruan
- Morinda lucida Benth.
- Morinda mefou Cheek
- Morinda moaensis Alain
- Morinda morindoides (Baker) Milne-Redh.
- Morinda nana Craib
- Morinda pacifica (Reinecke) Razafim. & B.Bremer
- Morinda panamensis Seem.
- Morinda pedunculata Valeton
- Morinda persicifolia Buch.-Ham.
- Morinda piperiformis Miq.
- Morinda pubescens Sm.
- Morinda ramosa (Lauterb.) Razafim. & B.Bremer
- Morinda rosiflora Y.Z.Ruan
- Morinda royoc L.
- Morinda scabrida Craib
- Morinda schultzei Valeton
- Morinda sessiliflora Bertol.
- Morinda talmyi (Pit.) Chantar.
- Morinda titanophylla E.M.A.Petit
- Morinda tomentosa B.Heyne ex Roth
- Morinda turbacensis Kunth
- Morinda undulata Y.Z.Ruan
Formerly placed here
- Morinda jasminoides – now Gynochthodes jasminoides[6]
- Morinda officinalis – now Gynochthodes officinalis[7]
- Morinda trimera – now Gynochthodes trimera.[8]
- Morinda muscosa – now Palicourea muscosa[9]
References
- 1 2 3 "Morinda L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ↑ Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. Vol. III: M-Q. CRC Press. p. 1730. ISBN 978-0-8493-2677-6.
- ↑ Sambamurty, A.V.S.S. (2005). Taxonomy of Angiosperms. I. K. International Pvt Ltd. p. 404. ISBN 978-81-88237-16-6.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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. Bibcode:2012RPaPa.179...13S. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2012.04.001.
- ↑ "Morinda jasminoides A.Cunn". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ↑ "Morinda officinalis F.C.How". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ↑ "Morinda trimera Hillebr". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ↑ "Morinda muscosa Jacq". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
External links
- World Checklist of Rubiaceae
Media related to Morinda at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Morinda at Wikispecies
