188 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
Mauritia flexuosa. 
A palm mentioned and described by Hill under the names *‘ moriche*’ and 
‘palma moriche.’’ The species is a tall South American fan-palm, native in the 
valleys of the Orinoco and Amazon. It grows in great abundance and forms 
extensive forests in level regions subject to annual overflow, and furnishes a 
large part of the material of subsistence and native arts of whole tribes of Indians. 
It is not, however, known from Porto Rico or, as a native, from any part of the 
West Indies. According to Maza it and Mauritia setifera (probably an error for 
setigera, a species native in Trinidad) are cultivated in Cuba and called * palma 
mauricia.”" As a useful tree which will flourish in swampy places this species 
might be of some utility in Porto Rico. 
Mauritia setifera and Mauritia setigera. 
See note under Mauritia flexuosa, 
Mauritius hemp. See Furcraea gigantea. 
Maya. 
A naine applied to the fruits of the wild pifuela, Bromelia pingiin, used as a 
remedy for worms. 
Mayepea caribaea. AVIPILLO. 
Family Oleaceae; a tree reported as collected by Sintenis at Fajardo—perhaps 
the same as Abispillo of Captain Hansard’s list. 
Mayepea compacta. PALo DE HUESO. 
A tree 10 to 12 meters high. White. hard wood used for heavy timbers. 
(Stahl, 6: 60, as Linociera compacta.) 
Mayepea domingensis. 
Variously named ‘* palo de hueso,”’ ** huesillo,”’ ‘‘hueso blanco.’ A native 
tree reported from Bayamon, Caguas, Sierra de Luquillo, Utuado, and Quebra- 
dillas. It is the same as Stahl’s Linociera compacta. An allied species, M. awilli- 
flora, comes from mountain forests at ‘* El Manil.”’ (Urban, Add. 1: 61.) 
Maza. 
Not used for special purposes; a common wood in the hills: specific gravity, 0.87. 
(Hansard. ) 
Medicago sativa. ALFALFA. 
Alfalfa has not been found successful in humid tropical countries. A substitute 
has been suggested in phasemy (Phaseolus semierectus). 
Medlar. 
Reported by Hill among ** forest trees yielding fruits."" The reference is, how- 
ever, to be understood as applying to Achras sapota, the sapote or sapodilla, neither 
the true medlar, Mespilus germanicau, nor the Japanese medlar or loqguat, Eriobo- 
trya japonica, being known to the Porto Rican public, 
Meibomia. ZarzaBacoa. 
A large genus of leguminous herbs, formerly known under the name Desmo- 
dium. Several of the species are useful forage and soiling plants. 
Meibomia adscendens. ZARZABACOA GALANA, 
A creeping woody annual found in dry pastures. The flowers are pale lavender 
or whitish. (Stahl, 3: 42, as Desmodium adscendens. ) 
Meibomia axillaris. ZaRZABACOA DE MONTE, 
A creeping or trailing annual, frequenting shady places in mountain districts. 
This species is too diffuse in habit and too woody in structure to be likely to prove 
of economic value. 
Meibomia barbata. ZarZABACOA PELUDA, 
A shrubby species found in dry pastures. Known from Lares. (Stahl, 4: 45, 
as Desmodium barbatum. ) 
