$ 
AN ENCYCLOPÆDIA 
A 
OF HORTICULTURE. 
403 
Myosotis—continued. : 
M. alpestris (alpine).* . blue, with a very small yellowish eye, 
fragrant in the evening. Summer. l. lanceolate or oblong- 
linear, acutish, obsoletely three-nerved, strigose. Stems tufted, 
erect, beset with adpressed hairs, sim ie at ottom, but divided 
at top into short racemes. A. 2in. to 3in. Mountains of Europe 
(Britain). Perennial. According to some authorities, this is but 
a form of M. sylvatica, with larger flowers. SYN. M. rupicola. 
See Fig. 623. (Sy. En. B. 1106.) : 
M. azorica (Azorean).* ji. purple, eventually blue, without a 
yellow eye, about zin. across, disposed in dense bractless 
racemes. Summer. l hairy, upper ones oblong-obtuse, lower 
ones oblong-spathulate. h. Ein. to 10in. Azores, 1846. An 
elegant but somewhat tender perennial, with a habit similar to 
M. alpestris, but the flowers are larger, and the fruiting racemes 
lengthen considerably. (B. M. 4122.) There is a white-flowered 
form, alba. The garden form of this species known as IM- 
PERATRICE ELIZABETH forms a branching bush about 6in. in 
height, and, when covered with its numerous heads of bluish- 
purple flowers, is a gem for pots or shady nooks in the rockery. 
M. dissitifiora (distant-flowered).* fl. deep sky-blue, e, 
numerous. Very early spring. l. oblong-lanceolate, gradually 
pomon: h. Ein. to 12in. Switzerland, 1868. Perennial. A 
ndsome species, closely allied to M. sylvatica, but differing in 
its shorter, more adpressed pubescence, brighter green leaves, 
and relatively longer pedicels, which curve upwards and inwards 
when in fruit. The most distinctive character, however, which 
separates M. dissitiflora.and M. sylvatica resides in the nutlets 
(the só-called seeds), which are stalked in the former and stalk- 
less in the latter. 
è FIG. 624. MYOSOTIS DISSITIFLORA ELEGANTISSIMA. 
M. d. elegantissima (very elegant). A pretty variety, with 
white-edged leaves. See Fig. 624. 
M. macrophylla. See Anchusa myosotidiflora. 
M. obtusum. See Anchusa Barrelieri. <a ks 
M. ustris (marsh).* True Forget-me-no ue, wit! 
cp ow throat i racemes simple or conjugate; bractless. 1 A 
oblong or spathulate, upper ones slightly pemont, 4d 
glossy green. Stems creeping at the base, clothed oh nite 70 
irs. A. 6in. to 12in. Europe, &c. c well-kKno 
and very lovely native perennial. (Sy. En. B. * 
M. rupicola (rock. loving). A synonym of M. alpestris. 
M. suaveolens (sweet-scented). AH. white or bluish, in sim le or 
branched racemes, at first dense, at length several 3 ee ; 
l and broad at the N eos 
e, and broad at the base, or contre A 5 
often decurrent ; the lower ones sometimes Zin. to Ain. long, the 
upper ones small. Australia. An erect, but sometimes weak 
} perennial. 
M. sylvatica (wood).* fl. blue, with a yellow throat ; racemes 
~ solitary and pions 9 i long, loose, bractless ; 1 
longer than the calyx. S ring. l oblong-lanceo! — or j 
clothed with soft hairs. Stems simple, divided ai N p 75 italn 
loose racemes, hairy. k. lft. to 2ft. Euro Mon id in). 
dsome biennial or perennial species, of wiic ere are 
numerous varieties. (Sy. En. B. 1107.) 
M. virginica. See Echinospermum ae i 
MYRCIA (a mythological name). ORD. Myrvacew. 
very large 2 ae 500 species have been 1 
but the number may probably be reduced to abou ) 
of stove trees or shrubs, all natives of tropical and 
sub-tropical America. Flowers often small; peduncles 
axillary, sub-terminal, many or rarely few-flowered ; calyx 
limb segments and petals five, rarely four or three. 
Myrcia—continued. 
Leaves opposite, penniveined. The species are not much 
seen in cultivation; the under-mentioned is, perhaps, the 
best for horticultural purposes. It thrives in a compost 
of sandy peat and fibry loam. Propagated, in May, by 
cuttings of young shoots, rather firm at the base, inserted 
in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle bottom heat. 
M. acris (sharp). A synonym of Pimenta acris. 
M. am ulis (stem-clasping). AH. white, fascicled on the 
branches, sessile, jin. in diameter; panicles downy, from the 
upper axils, 6in. to 10in. long. “. opposite, sessile, 10in. to lein. 
long, narrow-oblong or linear-oblong, acuminate, downy on both 
surfaces, reticulated above ; lateral nerves below numerous, very 
divergent, elevated. Branches strict, erect, terete, stout; 
branchlets as thick as a goose-quill. A. 5ft. Rio de Janeiro, 
A very handsome shrub. (B. M. 5790.) 
. MYRIAPODA. An order of Articulata, or jointed 
animals, greatly resembling insects in being made up of 
horny rings (chitine), held together by soft membranes 
between them, as well as in breathing by air tubes 
(tracheæ) branching all through the body and opening 
on its surface by little mouths (spiracles), across each 
of which lies a structure like a sieve, that prevents the 
entrance of dust with the air. These animals also agree 
with insects in the general structure of the internal 
; organs; in having a distinct head with one 
pair of antennw or feelers, and simple eyes, 
in a group on each side, and legs 
made up of several distinct joints. They differ 
from insects in having no well-defined ‘thorax, 
in the rings of the body being very numerous, 
and in their numerous pairs of legs, whence 
the popular names of Centipede and Millipede. 
The eggs are laid in the localities frequented by 
the animals, such as below stones, dead leaves, 
Ke. The young ones, on emerging from the 
eggs, have only three pairs of true legs; but, 
at each change of skin during their growth, 
the number of the legs increases, as does also 
the number of simple eyes. Hence, till ma- 
turity is reached, the numbers of legs and 
eyes are too variable with age to permit of 
ing much stress upon them in determining 
es. Myriapoda usually feed upon in- 
or upon plants; most frequently they 
on decaying parts of plants, but a few 
1 attack living cultivated plants, and injure 
them considerably. They belong chiefly to two great 
groups, the Centipedes (Chilopoda) and the Millipedes 
(Chilognatha), and may be readily distinguished from one 
another by the following characters. 
Centipedes have, for the most part, flattened depressed 
bodies, with only one pair of legs on each ring of the 
body. The lower surface of each ring is formed by a 
flat plate, which keeps the legs apart, so that they 
are seen projecting beyond the sides of the rings when 
the animals are crawling. The last pair of legs is 
longer and stronger than the others, and projects back- 
wards. The front pair is modified to form two taper- 
ing, sharp-pointed, jaw-like organs, which can be made 
to pierce the skin of the animals that serve as food. 
Each of these organs is traversed by a tube that conveys 
poison from a gland near the head into the wound in 
the bodies of the prey, or those of assailants if being 
used in self-defence. Our native species are all of small 
size (}in. to 3in. long, and quite slender), but many 
tropical species are from 6in. to 12in. long, and give 
a very painful or even dangerous bite. Centipedes mostly 
feed on insects, or on others of the lower animals; 
hence, they are beneficial to gardeners. They are often 
met with in digging gardens. One kind (Scolopendra 
electricus, or Geophilus longicornis), sparingly met with 
in England, has the power of emitting a feeble light 
at times. i j 5 
The Millipedes (Chilognatha) are easily recognised by 
their legs being more numerous than those of Centipedes, 
