Family: Rubiaceae

Common Name: बारतोंडी

Etymology - Genus: From the Latin Morus (mulberry) and indicus (Indian) - referring to aggregate fruit resembling mulberry.

Etymology - Species: Downy, short haired (referring to the leaves)

Ecosystem: Deciduous

Origin: Native

Location: Pune, Vetal Hill, Taljai Hill

Description: Medium size tree with distinctive crocodile bark - rough, vertically fissured.Simple leaf, opposite with presence of interpetiolar ring.Leaves are pubescent, with soft-woolly hairs.Flowers occur in spherical heads, on a small size stalk.Very fragrant white flowers.Petals are fused together forming a tube. Stamens are as many as petals.Aggregate fruit forming a berry. Fruit is green, turns blackish and hard when mature.

Root type: Taproot-Woody hard

Stem Appearance: Tree

Stem Cross Section: Circular

Stem Texture: Rough, corky or crocodile bark

Root-Stem-Bark Description: Medium size tree with distinctive crocodile bark - rough, vertically fissured.

Leaf - Characters

Attachment: Petiolate

Stipules: Interpetiolar

Leaf Type: Simple

Phyllotaxy: Alternate-Spiral

Leaf Description: Simple leaf, opposite with presence of interpetiolar ring.

Leaflet - Characters

Lamina: Elliptic

Lamina Bases: Cuneate

Lamina Margins: Entire

Lamina Apices: Acute

Lamina Texture: Pubescent

Venation: Reticulate-Unicostate

Leaflet Description: Leaves are pubescent, with soft-woolly hairs.

Fruit type: Berry

Fruit type Description: Aggregate fruit forming a berry. Fruit is green, turns blackish and hard when mature.

Seed Type: Dicotyledon

Germination type: Epigeal

Dispersion Method:

Preprocessing for germination:

Germination time:

Seed shelf life:

Germination %: Very easy to germinate

Seed Description: