SCIENTIFIC AND POPULAR. 247 



1318. MESPILUS, L. - Medlar. - Poiiiaceae. 



From ancient Greek name of (a). Syn. Pyrus, in part. 

 Shrubs or small trees. One or two species, Europe and Asia. 



a. M. Germanica L. [P. Germanica J. Hook. (Kew)]. Europe 

 and western Asia. Medlar, English or Dutch Medlar, Medle. 

 tree, Hosedoup, liowdoup, Marie. Fruit edible. 



1319. METASTELMA, K. Br. Metastelma. Asclepiadaceae.. 



Shrubby climbers with small or minuteWhite flowers. About 

 40 species, warmer regions of New World; 6 in U. S. 



1320. METHYSTICUM, Kaf. 1738. Kavakava. Piperaceae* 



From Greek, "intoxicating". Syn. Macropiper, Miq, 1739; 

 Piper (Kew), in part. Succulent shrubs with ample foliage. 

 About 6 species, Polynesia. 



a. M. excelsiim (Forst. ) Lyons (P. excelsum Forst., P. methysti- 



cum L., not Forst., Mac. excelsum Miq.). New Zealand to 

 Australia. New Zealand Toothache-tree, KaAvakawa tree. 



Boot analgesic. 



b. M. methysticum (Forst.) Lyons (P. methysticum Forst,, Mac. 



metbysticum Miq,, Mac. latifolium Miq. fide Hillebr., Meih. 

 esculentum Kaf.). Polynesian Islands. Kavakava, Awa, 

 Ava, Kawa. Moot intoxicant, analgesic, local anesthetic. 



1321. METROSIBEROS, Banks 1788. Lehua, etc Myrtaceae. 



From Greek, "iron womb". Syn. Nani, Adans. 1763, Nania, 

 Miq. 1855. Trees or shrubs, some climbers, with showy flowers. 

 About 10 species, Oceanica to Australia. 



a. M. polymorpha Gaud. (M. lutea Gray, M. spectabilis Gaertn. , 

 etc. ). Polynesian Islands, Hawaii to Viti. The Lehua of 

 Hawaiian song. The similar (b) M. tomeiitosa Cunn. of 

 New Zealand is known as Fire-tree. Both are large trees with 

 crimson (sometimes yellow) tassel-like flowers and very hard 

 durable timber, (c) M. vera Lind. (Nania vera Miq. ) is the 

 Iron-tree of Java. 



1322. METr6xYL0N, Rottb. 1783. Sago Palm. Sabalaceae. 



From Greek, "womb wood", meaning probably pith wood, 

 yn. Sagus, Kumph. 1788. Lar 

 Malay archepelago to Fiji islands. 



a. M. Riimphii (Willd. ) Mart. (S. Rumphii Willd., S. genuina 



Blume). East Indies. Prickly Sago Palm. Starch from in- 

 terior of trunk is SagO, U. S. P. 1870; Fr. Sagou (Codex); Sp. 

 Sagii. 



b. M. Sagu Rottb. (M. Sago Koen., M. Sagus Spreng., M. laeve 



Mart., S. lajvis Blume). East Indies. Spineless Sago Palm. 

 Chief source of the sago of commerce. ( Sago or sagu is the 

 Papuan word for "bread" ). 



1328. MEUM, Adans. Spignel, ite. Umbelliferae. 



The ancient Greek name. Herbs. One, possibly 2 or 3, spe- 

 cies, Mediterranean region. 



