MERIANIA 



549 



MESEMBRYANTHEMUM 



M. Aitchiso'ni (Aitchison's). See M. PERSICA. 

 bulbocodioi'des (Bulbocodium-like). See M. BULBO- 



CODIUM BULBOCODIOIDES. 



Bulboco'dium (Bulbocodium). i- Rose-lilac. Spain. 

 bulbocodioi'des (Bulbocodium-like). , Pale 



purple. Autumn. 1882. 

 cauca'sica (Caucasian). . Light rose-purple. May. 



Caucasus; Persia. 1823. 

 ruthe'nica (Russian). See BULBOCODIUM VERNUM 



VERSICOLOR. 



Eichle'ri (Eichler's). J. Purple. Caucasus. 



monta'na (mountain). See M. BULBOCODIUM. 



pe'rsica (Persian). J. Lilac. Autumn. Persia ; 



Afghanistan. 1872. 

 soboli'fera (rhizome-bearing). Purple. Asia Minor 



and Persia. 



MERIA'NIA. (Commemorative of Sibylle de Merian, 

 a Dutch lady naturalist. Nat. ord. Melastomaceae.) 



Evergreen stove shrub. Cuttings of side-shoots in 

 sand in"a close case. Loam, peat, and sand. 

 M. Karste'nii (Karsten's). Crimson-purple. Venezuela. 



1852. 



MERODON EQUESTRIS. Narcissus Fly. The bulbs 

 of the daffodil and of other species of the narcissus fre- 

 quently refuse to vegetate ; and the usual cause is, that 

 their interiors have been eaten by the grub of this two- 

 winged fly. This disappointment may be avoided if 

 these bulbs are examined before being planted. It also 

 destroys the bulbs of Habranthus pratensis, Hippeastrums, 

 Liliums, and Valletta purpurea much in the same way. 



In the month of November, says Mr. Curtis, one or 

 two large, roundish holes are sometimes found on the 

 outsides of the bulbs of the daffodil and narcissus. The 

 bulbs are more or less decayed within, where a maggot 

 will generally be found, which, by feeding in the heart 

 during the summer and autumn months, has been the 

 sole author of the mischief. This larva is somewhat 

 like the flesh-maggot, and not unlike a bot, only that 

 it is not jagged with spines, and instead of being whitish, 

 its natural colour, is changed to brown by its living 

 amongst the slimy matter which has been discharged 

 from its own body, causing the gradual rotting of the 

 bulb. Towards the end of November the maggot is 

 transformed into a pupa, to accomplish which it eats 

 its way out of the bulb near the roots, and buries itself 

 in the surrounding earth. The pupae are dull brown, 

 egg-shaped, rough, and strongly wrinkled. In this state 

 they remain until the following spring, when the flies 

 issue from them. Their eggs are then deposited, but 

 upon what part of the plant they are laid has not been 

 observed, but probably upon the bulb near the base of 

 the leaves. April seems to be the month when most of 

 the flies hatch ; and they have been compared to small 

 humble-bees, from the disposition of the colours, which 

 are, for the most part, yellow, orange, and black ; but 

 they certainly bear a greater resemblance to some of 

 the' bot-flies. From bees they are readily distinguished 

 by having only two wings, the horns and proboscis are 

 totally different, and they have no stings. 



MERTE'NSIA. (Commemorative of Professor F. C. 

 Mertens, a German botanist. Nat. ord. Borageworts 

 [Boraginacea?]. Allied to Pulmonaria.) 



Beautiful hardy perennial herbs for the border and 

 rockery. Seeds ; divisions in spring, and cuttings in 

 sand in a cold frame during summer. Ordinary, well- 

 drained garden soil. 



M. alpi'na (alpine). $. Blue. May. N.W. Amer. 1875. 

 dahu'rica (Dahurian). i. Sky-blue. June. Dahuria. 



1812. 

 echioi'des (Echium-like). J. Blue. May to August. 



Himalayas. 



elonga'ia (elongated). See M. ELOXGATA. 

 ,, donga ta (elongated), f-i. Gentian blue. May, June. 



Himalaya. 1910. 

 lanceola'ta. (lance-shaped). J-i. Blue. May. N.W. 



Amer. 1813. 

 mar i'tima, (maritime) . \. Blue. July. Sea-shores of 



Britain. " Oyster Plant." 



oblongifo'lia (oblong- leaved), i. Blue. N. Amer. 

 panicula'ta (panicled). iJ-2. Blue-purple. July. 



N. Amer. 1778. 



: primuloi'des (Primula- like). . Indigo-blue, fading 

 to white and yellow. Himalaya. 1902. 



M. pulmonarioi'des (Pulmonaria-like). iJ-2. Blue- 

 purple. April, May. N. Amer. 1799- 



,, ,, rubra (red). Pink. 1900. 



sibi'rica (Siberian). Pale blue and white. Siberia 

 and N.W. Amer. 1800. 



,, virgi'nica (Virginian). See M. PULMONARIOIDES. 



,, ru'bra (red). See M. PULMONARIOIDES RUBRA. 



ME'RYTA. (From meruo, to unroll. Nat. ord. 

 Araliaceae.) 



Stove or greenhouse evergreen trees or shrubs. Seeds ; 

 grafting on roots. Loam and peat, both fibrous, and 

 sand. 

 M. latifo'lia (broad-leaved). 6. Yellow. Norfolk Island. 



1831. Greenhouse. 

 ,, Sinclai'rii (Sinclair's). 12-25. Leaves 9-20 inches 



long. New Zealand. 1903. Greenhouse. 

 ,, sonchifo'lia (Spnchus-leaved). Leaves much cut. 

 New Caledonia. 1878. 



MESEMBEYA'NTHEMUM. Fig-Marigold. (Fiommes- 

 embria, mid-day, and anthemon, a flower ; referring to 

 the flowers opening better on sunny days. Nat. ord. 

 Ficoids [Ficoidaceae]. Linn. 12-Icosandria, 2-Di-penta- 

 gynia.) 



Greenhouse succulent plants, from South Africa, except 

 when otherwise mentioned. All by seeds, and most of 

 them by cuttings, dried at the base, before inserting 

 them in sandy soil, peat, loam, lime-rubbish, and old cow- 

 dung, well-drained. Winter temp., 38 to 45. Well 

 suited for window-plants and rough rock-work, out of 

 doors, in summer. Seeds should be sown in a hotbed, 

 and plants gradually hardened off before planting out. 



GREENHOUSE ANNUALS. 



3/. cadu'cum (deciduous), i. Pink. July. 1774. 

 ,, calendula ceum (marigold-flowered). See M. POMERI- 



DIANUM. 



,, calif o'rnicum (Calif ornian). See M. CRYSTALLINUM. 

 crysfalli'num (crystalline). White or rose. July. 



Greece ; S. Africa, &c. 1775. " Ice Plant." 

 ,, fia'ccidum (feeble), i. Yellow. Biennial. 

 geniculiflo'rum (joint-flowering), i. White. August. 



1727. 



,, gla'brum (smooth). |. Yellow. August. 1787. 

 ,, helianthoi 'des (sunflower-like). Yellow. September. 



1774- 



,, pilo'sum (shaggy). See M. HELIANTHOIDES. 

 pinnati'fidum (leaf-cleft), i. Yellow. July. 1774. 

 ,, pomeridia' num (afternoon), i. Yellow. July. 1774. 

 Andre'wsii (Andrew's), i. Yellow. July. 

 ,, pube'rulum (rather-downy). White. 1829. Biennial. 

 > pyro'peum (flame-coloured). Rose, white. June. 

 a'lbum (white). White. 

 ,, ro'seum (rosy). Rose, white. June. " Common 



Fig Marigold." 



tricolor (three-coloured). See M. PYROPEUM. 

 Tripo'lium (Asler-leaved). J. Pale yellow. August. 



1700. Biennial. 



GREENHOUSE EVERGREEN TRAILERS. 

 M. abbrevia'tum (short-jointed). . 1825. 

 ,, acinacifo'rme (scimitar- formed). |. Pink. 1714. 

 lo'ngum (long). . Pink. August. 

 aqvilatera'le ( equal-sided), f. Pink. June. Australia. 



1791. 



attenua'tum (thin). $. White. July. 1821. 

 ,, austra'le (southern). J. Yellow July. Australia. 



1733- 

 , aggrega'tum (crowded-leaved). J. Pink. June. 



Australia. 1803. 



mi'nus (smaller). }. Pink. Australia. 1810. 

 ,, barba'tum (bearded), f. Pink. July. 1705. 

 ,, calyci'num (fog-calyxed). f. White. July. 1819. 

 ca'ndens (glittering). J. White. June. 1820. 

 viri'dius (greener). White. September. 



'turn (sma.H-c\ub-leaved). See M. AUSTRALE. 

 , crassifo'lium (thick-leaved). J. Pink. June. 1727. 

 , de'bile (weak). See M. REPTANS. 

 , de'nsum (dense-bearded). J. Pink. June. 1732. 

 , edu'le (eatable). J. Pink. July. 1690. "Hottentot 



Fig." 



, filamento'sum (thready). J. Pink. May. 1732. 

 , floribu'ndum (bundle-flowered). J. Pink. July. 

 1704. 



