# Noni

*Morinda citrifolia*

Often called the 'cheese fruit' or 'vomit fruit,' its ripe aroma is caused by butyric acid, which evolutionary biologists believe attracts fruit bats for seed dispersal.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Gentianales › Rubiaceae › Morinda
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Tropical coastal regions, volcanic shorelines, rainforest understories, and disturbed lowlands.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (produces energy via photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- **Range:** Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Northern Australia, Caribbean, Hawaii
- **Size:** Shrub or small tree growing 3 to 9 meters (10 to 30 feet) tall.
- **Lifespan:** 20-50 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Coastal development and severe tropical storms, though it remains highly adaptable and resilient.
- **Safe to approach?:** Noni is completely harmless and safe to approach. Note that the ripe, translucent white fruits emit a very strong, pungent odor similar to decaying cheese. The fruit is edible but has an intense, acquired taste. No special precautions are needed.

## About

Morinda citrifolia is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. Its native range extends through Southeast Asia and Australasia, and the species is now cultivated throughout the tropics and widely naturalized.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/81d70cb3-229a-4e08-8861-562a3faf835e
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/121022
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morinda citrifolia
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/231162626/medium.jpeg (葉子, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.