Morus celtidifolia, the Texas mulberry, is a plant species native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States, ranging from Argentina north as far as Arizona and Oklahoma. In the US, it grows in canyons and on slopes, usually near streams, from 200–2,200 metres (660–7,220 feet) in elevation. It is very often referred to as "Morus microphylla," including in Flora of North America,[5] but recent studies suggest that these names are synonymous with M. celtidifolia holding priority.[2][3][6][7][8][9]

Morus celtidifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Moraceae
Genus:	Morus
Species:	M. celtidifolia
Binomial name
Morus celtidifolia Kunth 1817[1]
Synonyms[2][3]
Morus albida Greene Morus arbuscula Greene Morus betulifolia Greene Morus canina Greene Morus confinis Greene Morus corylifolia Kunth Morus crataegifolia Greene Morus goldmanii Greene Morus grisea Greene Morus mexicana Benth. Morus microphilyra Greene Morus microphylla Buckley[4] Morus mollis Rusby Morus pandurata Greene Morus radulina Greene Morus vernonii Greene Morus vitifolia Greene

Morus celtidifolia is a shrub or tree, sometimes reaching 7.5 m (25 ft) in height. It has much smaller leaves than the other two species in the US (M. alba and M. rubra), the blade usually less than 7 centimetres (2+3⁄4 inches) long. The edible fruits[10] are red, purple, or nearly black,[1][4][11][12] and are consumed by wildlife, and, historically, by Native Americans. In ancient (probably prehistoric) times, the Havasupai people introduced the species to the Grand Canyon.[13]

References