MATABELE- — MELK- 57 



Matabele flower. Striga lutea. Known under this name in 

 Bechuan aland, because it devastates the mealie fields 

 (= Witch- weed, rooiblom). 



Matjes 'goed. Cyperus textilis. In some districts Typha 

 australis. 



Matome, Hill — . Diospyros mespiliformis (Tr.) 

 „ , Water — . Adina Galpinii. (Pride of De Kaap). 



May, Cape — . Coleonema album. The real M a y of S. A. 

 gardens is Spiraea prunifolia from eastern Asia. In 

 England " May " is another name for the hawthorn. 



Medlar, Wild — . Vangueria infausta. (No). 



Meidje Willemse or Meidje Jan W illem. Ghironia haccifera, 

 but apparently also Geranium incanum. Knysna. 



Melde, Atriplex patula* etc. Weeds. 



Melilot. MeUlotus parviflora.* Occasionally as a weed. 



Melkboom. Ficus cordata (Centr, & No). At the coast the 



same name applies to Sideroxylon inerme. 

 Melkbos. Various plants with a white latex in the bark or 

 young wood, belonging either to the genus Euphorbia or 

 to some genera of Asclepiads, mostly bearing also some 

 other name. In Griqualand West and the Kalahari region 

 the name is mostly confined to Asclepias fruticosa^ 

 otherwise known as Wilde Kapok. The latex of some 

 species of Euphorbia contains a virulent resin, e.g., the 

 ordinary Qele — , E. mauritanica ; in several others this 

 poison is absent or the amount insignificant, and such 

 species form a valuable stock-food, e.g., the 01 if ants — » 

 E. cervicornis, the Zoet or Blauw — , E. brachiata, the 

 Steenbok — , E. serpiformis. The Spantouw — is 

 Sarcostemma viminale (poisonous). For other nutritious 

 species v. Noors and Vingerpol. 



In Namaqualand attempts have been made to exploit the 

 latex of several species, viz. E. Dregei and E. gregaria. The 

 coagulum is rich in resin like the Tirucalli product, q.v. 



„ -distel, Sonchus oleraceus* 



„ 'gras. Euphorbia helioscopia* E. peplus* Garden weeds. 



.. 'hout. Rode — . Mimusops obovata, also M. caffra. 

 M. Zeyheri. 



„ , Witte — . Sideroxylon inerme. (Coastal distr.) 



„ 'touw. Sarcostemma viminale; Secamone Thunbergii 

 (woods). 



