AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



327 



Maranta continued. 

 ML pinnato-picta (pinnately-marked). A synonym of Calathea 



applicata. 

 M. Porteana (Forte's).* I. oblong-acuminate, bright green on the 



upper side, striped with transverse bars of white ; under surface 



rich purple, h. 3ft. Bahia, 1859. An elegant, erect-growing 



species. 



M. regalia (regal). A synonym of Calathea ornata regalis. 

 M. roseo-lineata (rosy-lined). A synonym of Calathea ornata 



roseo-lineata. 

 M. rseo-picta (rosy-painted). A synonym of Calathea roseo- 



picta. 

 M. sagqriana (Sagorian).* I. oblong, very pale green, marked on 



each side the midrib with oblong-oblique bars of deep green. 



South America, 1862. A pretty dwarf perennial. 

 M. smaragdina (emerald-green).* I. emerald-green, with a dark 



green central stripe. Ecuador, 1870. SYN. Calathea smaragdina. 

 M. striata (streaked). I. about 5in. long, and 2in. wide, pale 



green, profusely streaked and striped with white and pale 



yellow. A. 6in. Philippines. A very desirable dwarf-growing 



species. 

 M. tesscllata Kegeljanl (Kegeljan's checkered). A synonym 



of Calathea bella. 



MARANTEJE. A tribe of Scitaminece. 



MARASMIUS (from marasmos, withering; on ac- 

 count of the plants being dry and leathery). A genus 

 of Mushrooms characterised by not decaying readily, but 

 by being so tough and leathery in all their parts that, 

 after being quite dried, they can resume their form when 

 again moistened. The cap is fixed to the stalk by the 

 middle of the lower surface, and the gills are tough, 

 and are not incised at all. The species are rather 

 numerous. They are usually of small size. The best- 

 known species in the genus is M. oreades (the Cham- 

 pignon or Fairy-ring Mushroom), common on lawns as 

 one of the Fungi that make the so-called Fairy Rings. 



FIG. 512. MARASMIUS OREADES. 



This Mushroom (see Fig. 512) varies from lin. to 2in. 

 across the cap, and is provided with a stalk about 2in. 

 or Sin. long. It is smooth above, and rather moist, 

 striped at the margin, and pale reddish. The gills are 

 nearly white. It has an agreeable odour, and is much 

 esteemed as an article of food. 



MARATTIA (named after J. F. Maratti, an Italian 

 botanist, who published, in 1760, a book, " De Floribus 

 Filicum "). Including Eupodium and Gymnotheca. OBD. 

 Filices. A well-marked genus, comprising about eight 

 species of stove or greenhouse evergreen Ferns, extending 

 all round the world within the tropics, and a little beyond 

 the Southern one. Capsules sessile or stalked, four to 

 twelve, concrete in boat-shaped synangia, which con- 

 sist of two opposite rows of capsules, and open by 

 slits down their inner faces. The species are strong- 

 growing, distinct, and very ornamental, and thrive best 

 in a compost of equal parts loam, peat, and river sand. 



Marattia continued. 



If Marattias are grown in a stove fernery, they should 

 be placed partially in the water ; being swamp-loving 

 plants, they will grow more luxuriantly in such a situa- 

 tion. For general culture, see Ferns. 

 M. alata (winged), sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, lin. or more thick, scaly. 

 fronds 3ft. to 4ft. long, tripinnatifid, the lower pinnae the largest, 

 the ultimate divisions in. to |in. long, about Jin. broad, oblong, 

 the edge serrate or crenate ; under surface more or less chaffy. 

 gynangia copious, sub-marginal, half a line to three-quarters of a 

 line long, the sides erect, the attachment oblong or roundish. 

 West Indies, &c., 1793. A very handsome plant, perhaps the 

 best of the genus, thriving well in the cool fernery or conserva- 

 tory. SYN. Gymnotheca alata. 



M. attenuate (attenuated), sti. 3ft. to 4ft. long, smooth, fronds 

 3ft. to 4ft. long, tripinnate ; pinnae IJft. to 2ft. long, lower ones 

 with a stalk 6in. long, and two or three pinnules on each side, the 

 latter with a terminal segment and three or four on each side, 

 which are 4in. to 6in. long, lin. or more broad, apex serrated, 

 base cuneate, lower ones short-stalked ; surfaces naked ; rachises 

 not winged, synanqia sub-marginal, the sides vertical ; receptacle 

 linear. Australia, 1863. Greenhouse. 



M. cicutsefolia (Cicuta-leaved). sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, lin. thick, 

 smooth, fronds 5ft. to 6ft. long, bipinnate ; lower pinnae, 1ft. to 

 lift, long, often 1ft. broad; pinnules oblong-lanceolate, 4in. to 

 6m. long, lin. broad, edge entire or serrulate, base cuneate or 

 slightly rounded ; surfaces naked ; rachis of pinnae slightly winged 

 towards the apex, synangia a short distance from the edge, deep- 

 cleft. Brazil, 1878. Stove. SYN. Gymnotheca cicutcefolia. 

 M. elegans (elegant). This is a mere form of M. fraxinea. 

 M. fraxinea (ashen), sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, lin. to IJin. thick, 

 smooth, scaly and swollen in the lower part, fronds 6ft. to 15ft. 

 long, bipinnate or casually tripinnate ; pinnae 1ft. to 2ft. long, 

 often 1ft. broad ; pinnules oblong-lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, Jlin. 

 to lin. broad, the apex acuminate, the edge entire or serrulate, 

 the base cuneate or slightly rounded ; surfaces naked, synangia 

 usually sub-marginal, in close rows, half a line to one and a half 

 lines long, the sides vertical, the receptacle linear, with from six 

 to twelve capsules on each side. Guinea Coast. Stove. " From 

 this," remarks Mr. J. G. Baker, " we cannot separate clearly many 

 plants which have been regarded as distinct," of which the fol- 

 lowing are behoved 



be in cultivation : if. purpurascens, 



a reduced, fleshy form, as if grown in a very exposed situation ; 

 the fronds not more than from 3ft. to 4ft. high ; lower pinnules 

 often cut down to a distinctly-winged rachis. M. salicifolia, 

 pinnules sharply toothed throughout, often only Jin. to fin. 

 broad, synangia with about six capsules on each side, not so 

 close or so near the edge. 



M. Kaulfussli (Kaulfuss'). sti. 2ft. to 3ft. long, thick, naked. 

 fronds 3ft. to 4ft. long, quadripinnatifld ; the lowest pinnae much 

 the largest, all except the lowest pair pinnatifid, 1ft. or more long, 

 6in. to Sin. broad ; pinnules Sin. to 4in. long, the rachis very dis- 

 tinctly winged ; segments oblong, deeply and bluntly toothed ; 

 surfaces naked, synangia half a line to three-quarters of a line 

 long, not marginal, deeply cleft, the sides ultimately spreading. 

 West Indies, &c. Stove. SYN. Eupodium Kavlfussii. 



M. laxa (loose), sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, smooth, fronds several feet 

 long, bipinnate ; lower pinnae IJft. to 2ft. long, olten 1ft. broad ; 

 pinnules oblong-lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, Jin. to lin. broad, the 

 edge inciso-crenate, the base cordate ; surfaces naked ; rachis 

 slightly winged towards the apex, synangia quite close to the 

 edge, three-quarters of a line to one line long, the sides always 

 erect, the attachment linear. Mexico. Stove. SYN. Gymnotheca 

 laxa. 



M. purpurascens (purplish). A form of M. fraxinea. 



M. salicifolia (Willow-leaved). A form of M. fraxinea. 



MARCESCENT. Permanent; not falling off until 



the part which bears it is perfected, but withering long 



before that time ; e.g., flowers of Lobelia, Orobanche, &c. 



MARCGRAVIE.2E. A tribe of Ternstrcemiacece. 



MARESTAIL. A common name for Hippnris 

 vulgaris (which see). 



MARG-YRICARPUS (from margaron, pearl, and 

 Jcarpos, a fruit; resemblance in white fruit). Pearl 

 Fruit. OED. Rosacece. A small genus (three species) of 

 branched, rigid, leafy shrubs, of which one is broadly dis- 

 persed over the temperate regions of South America and 

 the Andes of Patagonia, Brazil, and New Granada, another 

 inhabits Chili, and a third Peru. Flowers small, incon- 

 spicuous, solitary in the axils, sessile. Leaves alternate, 

 crowded, imbricated, variable. The undermentioned 

 species is a pretty little hardy evergreen, well suited 

 for the rockery ; and should be so planted that its 

 branches can rest on a dark-coloured stone, which will 

 show up the fruit to advantage. A rich, light soil such 



