152 POPULAR NAMES 



MELANCHOLY GENTLEMAN, from its sad colour, 



Hesperis tristis, L. 



MELANCHOLY THISTLE, from its supposed virtue in the 

 cure of melancholy, Carduus heterophyllus, L. 



MELILOT, L. melilotus, Gr. /u,eXt\eoT09, from fteXt, honey, 

 and X<BT09, a name applied by Greek writers to some very 

 different plant from the one at present called so, 



Melilotus officinalis, L. 



MELON, a word derived in the dictionaries from L. melo- 

 pepo, but more probably an augmentative of its first two 

 syllables melo, from Gr. /LI^XOI/, an apple, Fr. and Sp. melon, 

 M.Lat. melo, Cucumis Melo, L. 



MERCHE, see MARCHE. 



MERCURY, a name rather vaguely applied in old works, 

 and now limited to a poisonous weed, from the god Mer- 

 cury, in respect of some fancied activity in its operation ; 

 or, according to Pliny, from its having been discovered by 

 him; Mercurialis, L. 



,, DOG'S-, from its worthlessness, 



Mercurialis perennis, L. 

 ENGLISH-, the all-good, 



Chenopodium Bonus Henricus, L. 

 FRENCH-, Mercurialis annua, L. 



MERCURY'S VIOLET, the Mariet, 



Campanula Trachelium, L. 



MERRY, Fr. merise, mistaken for a plural noun, as cherry 

 from cerise, L. mericea, adj. ofmerica, some unknown berry 

 mentioned by Pliny, the wild cherry, 



Prunus avium, L. 



MEW, Gr. MOV, Meum athamanticum, L. 



MEZEREON, a name derived by Mesue from a Persian 

 name signifying a " destroyer of life," but by others from 

 Arab, magzeroun, a dwarf olive, a name adopted by the 

 herbalists from the writings of the Arabian physicians, 



Daphne Mezereon, L. 



