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Paper Mulberry

 
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The Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera, syn. Morus papyrifera L.) is a tree
TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
 in the family Moraceae
Moraceae

Morus-alba.jpgMoraceae ? often called the mulberry family or fig family ? is a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species....
, native to eastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
. Other names include Halibun, Kalivon, Kozo, and Tapacloth
Tapa cloth

Tapa cloth is a bark cloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga and Samoa, but as far afield as Java , New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii....
 tree.

It is a deciduous
Deciduous

Deciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe....
 tree growing to 15 metres tall. The leaves
Leaf

In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant Organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin, to expose the cells containing chloroplast to light over a broad area, and to allow light to penetrate fully into the tissues....
 are variable in shape (even on the same branch), unlobed ovate cordate to deeply lobed, with lobed leaves more frequent on fast-growing young plants; they are 7-20 cm long, with a rough surface above, fuzzy-downy below and a finely serrated margin.






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The Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera, syn. Morus papyrifera L.) is a tree
TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
 in the family Moraceae
Moraceae

Morus-alba.jpgMoraceae ? often called the mulberry family or fig family ? is a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species....
, native to eastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
. Other names include Halibun, Kalivon, Kozo, and Tapacloth
Tapa cloth

Tapa cloth is a bark cloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga and Samoa, but as far afield as Java , New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii....
 tree.

It is a deciduous
Deciduous

Deciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe....
 tree growing to 15 metres tall. The leaves
Leaf

In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant Organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin, to expose the cells containing chloroplast to light over a broad area, and to allow light to penetrate fully into the tissues....
 are variable in shape (even on the same branch), unlobed ovate cordate to deeply lobed, with lobed leaves more frequent on fast-growing young plants; they are 7-20 cm long, with a rough surface above, fuzzy-downy below and a finely serrated margin. The male (staminate) flower
Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds....
s are produced in an oblong inflorescence
Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches....
, and the female (pistillate) flowers in a globular inflorescence. In summer, the pistillate flower matures into a red to orange, sweet, juicy fruit
Fruit

The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. In botany, which is the scientific study of plants, fruits are the ripened Ovary of flowering plants....
 3-4 cm diameter, which is an important food for wild animals. The fruit is edible and very sweet, but too fragile to be commercialised. During the months of February until April proximity to this tree can contribute to severe pollen allergy. In Islamabad, Pakistan the pollen count goes as high as 40000 per m³ causing severe problems for residents.

Uses

The bark is composed of very strong fibres, and can be used for making high-quality paper. (See: Japanese tissue
Japanese tissue

Japanese tissue is a thin, strong paper made from vegetable Fiber. Japanese tissue may be made from one of three plants, the Paper mulberry , the mitsumata shrub and the gampi tree....
, Japanese paper and Hanji
Hanji (Korean paper art)

Korean paper or hanji is the name of a traditional paper art form originating from Korea. There are two basic divisions of hanji, a two dimensional and a three dimensional....
.) The tender leaves and twigs can be used to feed deer
Deer

Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae . A number of broadly similar animals from related families within the order even-toed ungulate are often also called deer....
, and the tree is sometimes nicknamed the "Deer's Tree".

Masi is a Fijian
Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands , is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu....
 term used to describe the paper mulberry tree, which was brought to the Pacific during voyages of migration. Its bark is used to make cloth, also called masi, and is dyed and decorated with traditional patterns. The cloth is worn during many Fijian ceremonies, including weddings, funerals, as well as after the birth of a new baby.

The inhabitants of the Lau Islands
Lau Islands

The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited....
 are renowned for their masi paintings.

Paper Mulberry as an Invasive Species

The fast growing Paper Mulberry when introduced to non-native areas can quickly disrupt the native habitat, becoming a highly invasive species and upsetting the natural ecosystem. This has proven true in many places, including parts of Latin America, the United States, and South Asia, and is particularly conspicuous in the vicinity of the city of Islamabad
Islamabad

Islamabad is the Capital of Pakistan, and is the tenth largest city in Pakistan. The Rawalpindi/Islamabad List of most populous metropolitan areas in Pakistan is the third largest in Pakistan with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants, 1.5 million in Islamabad and three million in Rawalpindi....
 where Paper Mulberry was introduced for its scenic value, but is now replacing the native flora at an alarming rate. The pollen from this tree is the number one cause of allergy problems in Islamabad. Paper Mulberry chokes out native flora because of its very high consumption of water, which leaves less water to sustain the native flora. Because its root system, while extensive, is shallow, it is also prone to being blown down by high winds.

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