Maclura pomifera is an exotic tree with large green bumpy fruits that are really
multiples of many smaller fruits. The bright orange wood is used by artisans in
woodworking. The twigs have thorns. The winter twigs show half round leaf scars. Maclura pomifera is found in hedgerows and damp hollows where it has
escaped and now grows out of cultivation. Maclura pomifera has milky latex, which can be considered a synapomorphy (shared, derived character) of the Moraceae. The laticifers are found scattered throughout most of the tissues of the plant and are not found in a particular layer or zone as is the case in some other plant families with laticifers. In the photomicrographs below, the laticifers appear gray to black because the milky latex is opaque to light.
Other plants known for laticifers (and in which they are shown here) are:
Maclura pomifera, multiple fruit (formed from more than one flower) and stipular spines, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Georgetown Rd., November 11, 2009
Maclura pomifera, closeup of multiple fruit (formed from more than one flower), photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Georgetown Rd., November 11, 2009
Maclura pomifera, bark, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Georgetown Rd., November 11, 2009
Maclura pomifera, bissected fruit, photo Russ Kleinman & Andy Anderson, Silver City, November 22, 2009
Maclura pomifera, fruits persisting on tree into winter, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 12, 2009
Maclura pomifera, fruits on ground underneath same tree as above, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 12, 2009
Maclura pomifera, winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 27, 2009
Maclura pomifera, winter twig with half round leaf scars, photo Russ Kleinman, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 27, 2009
Maclura pomifera, winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 28, 2009
Maclura pomifera, closeup of winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, December 28, 2009
Maclura pomifera, staminate flowers, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, April 30, 2011
Maclura pomifera, staminate flowers, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Little Burro Mountains along 180N, May 13, 2011
Maclura pomifera, unstained stereoscopic photomicrograph of stem cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Silver City along 180N, July 13, 2022
Maclura pomifera, compound scope photomicrograph of petiole (stem was too woody to section well) lightly stained with crystal violet, photo Russ Kleinman, Silver City along 180N, July 13, 2022
Maclura pomifera, compound scope higher power photomicrograph of petiole (stem was too woody to section well) lightly stained with crystal violet, photo Russ Kleinman, Silver City along 180N, July 13, 2022
