Scientific name Maclura Rank Genus | Tribe Maclureae | |
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Lower classifications Osage orange, Maclura tinctoria, Maclura tricuspidata, Maclura brasiliensis |
Maclura pomifera
Maclura is a genus of flowering plants in the mulberry family, Moraceae. It includes the inedible Osage orange, which is used as mosquito repellent and grown throughout the United States as a hedging plant.
Contents
Maclura is closely related to the genus Cudrania, and hybrids between the two genera have been produced. Some botanists recognize a more broadly defined Maclura that includes species previously included in Cudrania and other genera of Moraceae.
Maclura pomifera
Species
Etymology
The genus is named in honor of William Maclure (1763-1840), a Scottish-born American geologist and educational reformer. President of the American Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for 22 years. Maclure made major contributions to his field, including the first true geological map of any part of North America, and was a strong advocate of universal education, especially for women.
Formerly placed here
Fossil record
Fossils similar to Maclura have been reported from the Middle Eocene of England.