Morinda

For other uses, see Morinda (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Moringa.

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".^[3]

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][2]
Appunettia R.D.Good Belicia Lundell Bellynkxia Müll.Arg. Gutenbergia Walp., orth. var. Guttenbergia Zoll. & Moritzi Imantina Hook.f. Pogonanthus Montrouz. Rojoc Adans. Sarcopygme Setch. & Christoph. Sphaerophora Blume Stigmanthus Lour. Stigmatanthus Roem. & Schult.

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.^[4] 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.^[5]

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.^[6]

Species

Plants of the World Online^[2] currently (2024) includes:

1. Morinda angolensis (R.D.Good) F.White
2. Morinda angustifolia Roxb.
3. Morinda asteroscepa K.Schum. (Malawi, Tanzania)
4. Morinda bracteata Roxb. (synonym M. citrifolia var. bracteata)
5. Morinda buchii Urb.
6. Morinda carnosa Venturina, E.E.L.Suarez & Alejandro
7. Morinda chrysorhiza (Thonn.) DC.
8. Morinda citrifolia L. – Noni, great morinda, aal (Indian Ocean)
9. Morinda corneri K.M.Wong
10. Morinda elliptica (Hook.f.) Ridl.
11. Morinda fasciculata Benth. (Ecuador)
12. Morinda hoffmannioides Standl.
13. Morinda latibractea Valeton
14. Morinda leiantha Kurz
15. Morinda longiflora G.Don
16. Morinda longipetiolata Steyerm.
17. Morinda longissima Y.Z.Ruan
18. Morinda lucida Benth.
19. Morinda mefou Cheek
20. Morinda moaensis Alain
21. Morinda morindoides (Baker) Milne-Redh.
22. Morinda nana Craib
23. Morinda pacifica (Reinecke) Razafim. & B.Bremer
24. Morinda panamensis Seem.
25. Morinda pedunculata Valeton
26. Morinda persicifolia Buch.-Ham.
27. Morinda piperiformis Miq.
28. Morinda pubescens Sm. (synonyms: Morinda coreia Buch.-Ham., Morinda tinctoria Roxb.)
29. Morinda ramosa (Lauterb.) Razafim. & B.Bremer
30. Morinda rosiflora Y.Z.Ruan
31. Morinda royoc L. (synonym M. yucatanensis Greenm.^[7])
32. Morinda scabrida Craib
33. Morinda schultzei Valeton
34. Morinda sessiliflora Bertol.
35. Morinda talmyi (Pit.) Chantar.
36. Morinda titanophylla E.M.A.Petit
37. Morinda tomentosa B.Heyne ex Roth
38. Morinda turbacensis Kunth
39. Morinda undulata Y.Z.Ruan

Formerly placed here

• Morinda jasminoides A.Cunn. – Sweet morinda (from Eastern Australia) is a synonym of Gynochthodes jasminoides
• Morinda officinalis F.C.How (from China) is a synonym of Gynochthodes officinalis
• Morinda trimera Hillebr. – Noni kuahiwi^[8] (from Hawaii) is a synonym of Gynochthodes trimera.
• Morinda muscosa Jacq.^[7] is a synonym of Psychotria muscosa (Jacq.) Steyerm.
• Note: Plants in the former genus Appunettia are now considered synonymous with Morinda.