AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



361 



[espilus continued. 



FIG. 566. FRUITING BRANCH OF MESPILUS GERMANICA. 



M. germanica (German).* Common Medlar, fl. white, solitary. 

 May. I. lanceolate, undivided, a little downy, but most so under- 

 neath, h. 10ft. to 20ft. Europe (Britain), Asia Minor, Persia. 

 See Fig. 566. (Sy. En. B. 478.) There are several varieties of 

 this species. See Medlar. 



M. grandlflora (large-flowered). A synonym of M. Smithii. 



M. parvifolia (small-leaved). A synonym of Crataegus parvifolia. 



M. Smithii (Smith's).* fl. white, usually solitary, one-half the size 

 of those of the common Medlar. May and June. I. oblong- 

 elliptic, serrated, pubescent on the nerves beneath ; stipules of 

 the sterile branches large and foliaceous. h. 20ft. Caucasus. 

 SYN. M. ffrandiflora (S. E. B. 18). 



MEST7A (named after two celebrated Arabian physi- 

 cians and botanists, Mesue, who flourished at Damascus 

 in the eighth and ninth centuries). OBD. Guttiferce. A 

 small genus (about half-a-dozen species) of stove ever- 

 green shrubs or trees, natives of tropical Asia. Flowers 

 large, axillary, solitary. Leaves narrow, very slender, 

 crowded, elegantly marked with numerous parallel veins, 

 diverging from the midribs. The undermentioned species 

 thrives in a loam and peat compost. Propagated by cut- 

 tings of half-ripened shoots, placed in sand, with slight 

 bottom heat, in May ; or by seeds, sown in heat, during 

 March or April. 



M. ferrea (iron- wooded). /. white, about the size of those of the 

 Sweetbriar, very fragrant, stalked, axillary. July and August. 

 I. elliptical-lanceolate, acute, glaucous beneath, h. 40ft. India, 

 1837. An exceedingly ornamental hard-wooded tree, the deep 

 yellow stamens contrasting finely with the white corolla. 



METAXTA. Included under Cyathea. 

 METHONICA. A synonym of Gloriosa (which 



see). 



METB.ODOB.EA (named after Metrodorus, a painter, 

 who, according to Pliny, was the first to illustrate 

 plants by figures). OBD. Rutacece. A monotypic genus, 

 the species being a stove shrub, thriving best in a com- 

 post of loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings, placed 

 under a bell glass, in heat. 

 M. atropurpurea (dark purple). /. purplish, glandular, small, 



borne on panicles. I. opposite, entire, stalked, dotted, h. 5ft. 



Brazil, 18ol. The proper name of this plant is, according to 



Bentham and Hooker's classification, Esenbeclna atropurpurea. 



(F. d. S. 337.) 



METROSIDEB.OS (from metra, the heart of a 

 tree, and sideros, iron ; referring to the hardness of the 

 wood). Ironwood. OBJX Myrtaccie^ This genus com- 

 prises about eighteen species of greenhouse, evergreen, 

 glabrous or hoary-tomentose, rarely scandent, trees or 

 shrubs, inhabiting the Pacific Islands, from New Zealand 

 to the Sandwich Isles, one being found in the Indian 



Vol. II. 



Metrosideros continued. 



Archipelago, one in tropical Australia, and one in South 

 Africa. Flowers often showy, in dense, di- or tri- 

 chotomous, terminal or rarely axillary, cymes ; calyx tube 

 campanulate, funnel-shaped, or urceolate ; segments five, 

 loosely imbricated ; petals five, spreading. Leaves oppo- 

 site or some rarely alternate, penniveined. The under- 

 mentioned species are all from New Zealand. For 

 culture, see Melaleuca. 



M. buxifolia (Box -leaved). A synonym of M. seandens. 

 M. florida (flowery). A synonym of if. robusta. 

 M. robusta (robust), fl. red, disposed in a terminal thyrse May 



I. opposite, obovate-oblong, glabrous, veiny, h. 5ft. 1845 Shrub 



(B. M. 4471, under name of M. florida.) 

 M. scandens (climbing).* /..white, almost sessile. August. 



I. sessile, ovate, slightly hoary beneath, h. 4ft. or 5ft. in pots 



but in its native forests climbing to the summits of the loftiest 



trees. 1845. (B. M. 4515, under name of M. buxifolia.) 

 ML. speciosa (showy). A synonym of Callistemon speciosus. 

 M. tomentosa (tomentose).* fl. rich crimson, large, in terminal 



many-flowered, lax or dense cymes, thickly pubescent. July. 



I. decussate, petiolate, lin. to Sin. long, varying from linear- 



lanceolate to oblong or orbicular-oblong, h. 30ft. to 40ft. 1840. 



Tree. (B. M. 4488. 



METROXYLON (from metra, the heart of a tree, 

 and xylon, wood ; in allusion to the large proportion 

 of pith contained in the plant). SYN. Sag us (in part). 

 OBD. Palmece. A genus comprising about half-a-dozen 

 species of erect stove palms, natives of the Malayan 

 Archipelago, New Guinea, and the Fiji Islands. Spadix 

 large, loosely paniculate-branched; spathe coriaceous, 

 aculeate ; floriferous branchlets alternate, elongated, erect, 

 recurved. Fruit ellipsoid or sub-globose, one-seeded. 

 Leaves terminal, sub-erect, equally pinnatisect ; segments 

 opposite, linear-lanceolate, acuminate ; the costa setose 

 beneath ; margins at base recurved. The sago of com- 

 merce is prepared from the trunks of M. Iwve and 

 M. Rumphii. The species described below succeeds best 

 in sandy loam, and requires a strong, moist heat. Propa- 

 gation may be effected by seeds, or by suckers. 



M. vitiense (Viti or Fyi). I. pinnate, with segments about lin. 

 broad ; petiole, lower portion particularly, beset with scattered 

 long slender prickles. 



METTERNICHIA (named after an Austrian Prince 

 Metternich, 1772-1859). OBD. Solanacece. A genus 

 comprising only a couple of species of handsome, gla- 

 brous, stove, evergreen trees, in habit similar to Brun- 

 felsia; one is a native of Brazil, and the other inhabits 

 Columbia. Flowers showy, shortly pedicellate, solitary, 

 or a few at the apices of the branches ; calyx campanu- 

 late, four to six-fid ; corolla funnel - shaped ; limb five 

 or six-lobed. Leaves entire, somewhat shining, scarcely 

 coriaceous. For culture, see Lisianthus. 



Flu. 567. MEUM ATHAMANTICUM, showing Habit and 

 detached Fruit (see next page). 



3 A 



