382 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Morsea continued. 



M. iridoides (Iris-h'ke). fl. white, with yellow or brown spots. 

 July. h. 6in. 1758. See Fig. 588. 



M. papilionacea (butterfly-like), fl. varying from red to pale 

 blue, spotted with dark blue. May. I. pubescent, all the seg- 

 ments spreading, h. Sin. to 6in. 1795. (B. M. 750.) 



M. ramosa (branched), fl. golden-yellow, about 2in. in diameter. 

 May. I. ensifonn. Stems rigid, flexuous, leafy, h. 2ft. to 3ft. 

 1792. (B. M. 771.) SYN. M. bulbifera (B. M. 5785). 



M. Sisyrinchium (Sisyrinchium). fl. purple or blue ; tube fili- 

 form, very long. May. h. bin. Mediterranean region, Orient, 

 1597. (B. M. 1407.) SYN. Xiphion Sisyrinchium (B. M. 6096). 



M. spathacea (sheathed), fl. sweet-scented ; perianth limb 

 bright yellow ; outer segments obovate-oblong, obtuse, Hin. long, 

 marked at the top of claw with a circle of purple lines; inner seg- 

 ments oblanceolate, rather shorter ; pedicels 2in. to Sin. long. 

 March. I., developed ones not more than one to a stem, firm in 

 texture, green, ensifonn, 6in. to 24in. long, fin. broad, deeply 

 channelled down the face, tapering to a long point ; undeveloped 

 ones numerous, scarious, dark brown, sheathing the outside of 

 the tufts, the stems, and proper leaves. Stem terete, about 1ft. 

 high, two or three-flowered. 1875. Plant rhizomatose. (B. M. 

 6174, under name of Dietes Huttoni.) 



M. trlcuspis (trident-petaled).* fl. pale greenish-white, with 

 purple spots at the base cf the outer segments ; corolla rather 

 large, with cuneate, concave claws ; laminae much longer than 

 these, ovately rounded ; inner segments equal to the claws of the 

 outer. May. Stem simple, or occasionally with one or even two 

 branches. A. 1ft. 1776. SYN. Vieusseuxia tricuspis. (B. M. 

 696.) 



M. trlpetala (three-petal-like), fl. bluish ; outer segments of 

 corolla sub-spathulate, divaricately patent ; inner segments ex- 

 ceedingly small, shorter than the claws of the outer ones, patent. 

 June. h. 1ft. 1802. SYN. Vieusseuxia tripetaloides. (B. M. 7C2.) 



BL trtatls (dull-coloured), fl. brown. May and June. I. very 

 smooth. Stem, branches, and peduncles villous. h. 1ft. 1768. 

 (B. M. 577.) 



M. nngnlcnlata (long-clawed).* fl. whitish, spotted with 

 purplish-red ; outer segments obovate, sub-acute, as long as the 

 narrow claws ; inner segments small, tridentate-partite. June. 

 h. 1ft. 1802. SYN. Vieusseuxia unguicularit. (B. M. 593.) 

 MORCHELLA -Morel. 

 MOBZLS. A tribe of Urticacece. 

 MOREL. This is the name given to a group of 



Fungi included in the genus Morchella. The species 





FIG. 589. MOREL (MORCHELLA ESCULENTA). 



grow chiefly in woods. Several species are distinguished, 

 all of them edible; and some of them are regarded 

 as great delicacies. They have a stalk, supporting a 



Morel continued. 



head, which is rounded, oval, or conical, and externally 

 very much wrinkled, and folded irregularly (see Fig. 

 589). In this surface are sunk numerous small bladders 

 (asci), in each of which lie eight minute oval spores. 

 The various kinds differ in proportions of stalk and 

 head, but most are between 2in. and 12in. in height. 



FIG. 590. LONGITUDINAL SECTION OF MORCHELLA ESCULENTA. 



The general form and appearance are shown in Fig. 590, 

 which represents the Common Morel (Morchella escu- 

 lenta). This is one of the Fungi most esteemed for its 

 excellent qualities. Its stem is lin. to Sin. high, and 

 the cap is 2in. or Sin. across. In colour it varies from 

 yellowish to ash-grey. Its substance is somewhat firm, 

 hence it can be easily dried and kept for winter use. 

 In Germany, it is believed that Morels grow best in 

 ground upon which forests have been burned, and this 

 led to frequent burning the forests, till such actions 

 were made severely punishable by law. 



The Morel is used either fresh or in a dried state. 

 much in the same manner as Truffles. It has not been 

 subjected to cultivation, but specimens gathered when 

 quite dry will keep for several months. They should 

 not be collected in a wet state. 



MORENIA. Included under Chamcedorea. 



MORETON BAY CHESTNUT. See Castano- 

 sperxmun. 



MORJCANDIA (named after M. E. Moricand, 1780- 

 1854, an Italian botanist, author of "Flora Veneta "). 

 ORD. Cruciferce. A genus comprising five species of very 

 pretty, hardy, annual or biennial, glabrous or pilose herbs, 

 natives of South Europe, North Africa, and "Western 

 Asia. Flowers purple or rose, large; sepals erect. Pods 

 often elongated, on upright pedicels. Leaves entire, and 

 amplexicaul or pinnatisect. The species thrive in any 

 light soil. Seeds should be sown, in the open ground, 

 during spring, in a warm, dry situation. 

 M. arvensis (cornfield), fl. of a beautiful violet. Spring and 



summer. Pods somewhat tetragonal. I., cauline ones cordate 



stem-clasping, quite entire. h. 1ft. South Europe 1739 



Biennial. (B. M. 3007 ; S. B. F. G. iii. 278.) 



