144 NAMES OF PLANTS. 



Melis'sa, BiTinfels. G. for a bee, and also for honey. Bees 

 are foncl of it. 



Melit'tis, Pliny. From G., melissa, a bee ; because of its 

 yielding honey to bees. 

 MelissophyVlum, Kivinus. From G., melissa, a bee, and 

 phyllon, a leaf; for a similar reason to the last. 



Men'tha, Theophrastus. G., mintlia, or minthe, a fabled 

 nymph who was changed into the herb Mint by 

 Proserpine. 

 Pule'gium, Pliny. L. name for Pennyroyal, from index, a 

 flea ; because it was supposed to kill fleas. " The 

 blossom of it, fresh gathered and burnt, kills fleas by 

 its smell." — Pliny. 



Menyan'thes, Dioscorides. G., men, month, and anth, 

 flower; it is said from the duration of the flowers 

 being a mouth. 



Menzie'sia. Named in honour of Archibald Menzies, 

 surgeon and naturalist to the Expedition under 

 Vancouver, in 1790 : he died at Kensington in 1842. 



Mercuria'lis, Pliny. Named after the god Mercury, who 

 is said to have discovered some virtues in it. 



Merten'sia. Named in honour of F. C. Mertens, a German 

 botanist, who died at Bremen in 1831. 



Mes'pilus, Theophrastus. G., mespile, the medlar. 



Me'um, Dioscorides. Supposed to be G., meon, of Dios- 

 corides. 

 Athaman'ticum, Pliny, who says: " because, according to 

 some, it was first discovered by Athamas ; or else 

 because, as others think, that of the best quality was 

 found upon Mount Athamas." Athamas, according 

 to the ancients, was king of Thebes, in Boeotia, and 

 son of ^olus, who was the king of storms and winds, 

 and reigned over ^olia ; he was the son of Hippotas, 

 a Trojan prince, who was changed into a river, &c. 



