AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



405 



MYRIOPHYLIiUM (the old Greek name used by 

 Dioscorides, from myrios, myriad, and phyllon, a leaf; 

 in reference to the numerous divisions of the leaves). 

 Water Milfoil. Including Pelonastea. OED. Haloragece. 

 A genus of about fifteen species of hardy, half-hardy, or 

 greenhouse, floating, aquatic herbs (rising above the water 

 to flower), found in all parts of the world. Flowers small, ; 

 disposed in axillary whorls ; upper ones male, lower 

 ones female. Leaves finely cut, opposite or verticillate. 

 Very few species are worth growing. They are propagated 

 chiefly by divisions. Three species are represented in the 

 British Flora, but they are not of any value from a 

 horticultural standpoint. 



M. proserplnacoides (Proserpinaca-like). fl. very minute, 

 I. in whorls of five, very finely pectinated. Brazil, Chili, &c., 

 1879. A graceful half-hardy aquatic, with an extremely pretty 

 feathery appearance. It requires mud to root in, and is easily 

 increased. The stems are weak, but do not require support, all 

 the pretty points of the shoots growing out of the water, perhaps 

 to a height of 6in. or Sin. SYN. Herpestes reflexa (of gardens). 



MYRIOPTEHJS. Included under Cheilanthes. 

 MYRISTICA (from myristikos, smelling of myrrh, 

 from myron, myrrh). Nutmeg. The only genus of OBD. 

 Myristicece (which see for characters, Ac.). The under- 

 mentioned stove evergreen tree is the only species which 

 calls for description here. It thrives in a sandy-loam 

 and fibry-peat compost. Propagated by cuttings of ripened 

 shoots, inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in bottom heat. 

 M. fragrans (fragrant). True Nutmeg. /. pale yellow. June. 

 fr. very much like a Peach, having a longitudinal groove on one 

 side. I. alternate, entire, oblong, aromatic, h. 30ft. Indian 

 Archipelago, 1795. "The Nutmeg consists of the albumen or 

 perisperm, with the embryo at one end, and is covered by a 

 thin membrane, which adheres closely to its surface, and pro- 

 jects into the substance of the albumen, thereby giving it the 

 mottled appearance for which it is so remarkable" (Masters). 

 SYN. 3f. moschata. (B. M. PL 218.) 

 M. moschata (musk). A synonym of M. frafjrans. 



MYRISTICE.2E. A natural order of trees and shrubs, 

 having a styptic juice which reddens when in contact with 

 the air, natives, for the most part, of tropical Asia and 

 America, a few in Africa, and one each in Madagascar 

 and Australia. Flowers white or yellow, dioecious, usually- 

 axillary, in racemes, clusters, heads, or panicles, incon- 

 spicuous. Fruit succulent, one -celled, two (rarely four) 

 valved ; seed solitary, usually covered by a laciniate, 

 often aromatic axil; albumen scented. Leaves alter- 

 nate, nearly distichous, shortly petioled, coriaceous, 

 simple, entire, penninerved, folded lengthwise when 

 young, pubescent or scaly, exstipulate. Myristicew fur- 

 nishes the well-known Nutmeg and Mace of commerce. 

 It contains but a single genus Myristica and about 

 eighty species. 



MYROBALAN PLUM. See Prnnua cerasifera. 



MYRODIA (from myron, myrrh, perfume, and odme, 

 scent). SYN. Lexarsa. OBD. Sterculiacece. A genus com- 

 prising about seven species of stove evergreen shrubs 

 or trees, with an aromatic odour, confined to tropical 

 America. Petals white, oblong ; peduncles opposite the 

 leaves, short, one-flowered. Leaves entire or obso- 

 letely toothed, penninerved, or irregularly three to five- 

 nerved at base. Only one species has yet been intro- 

 duced ; it thrives in a rich sandy-loam soil. Propagated 

 by cuttings of half-ripened shoots, placed in sand, under 

 a glass, in heat. 

 M. tnrbinata (turbinate). fl. white, very fragrant ; peduncles 



nearly as long as the petioles. May. I. elliptical, quite entire. 



Branches few. h. 8ft 1793. Shrub. 



MYROSPERMTJM (from myron, myrrh, and sperma, 

 a seed ; in reference to the seeds yielding a strong- 

 smelling resin). OED. Leguminosce. A monotypic genus, 

 the species being a stove evergreen tree, native of 

 tropical America. For culture, see Myroxylon. 



BL fratescens (shrubby), fl. whitish-rose, disposed in terminal, 

 simple or bifid racemes. May. I. alternate, pinnate, deciduous, 



Myrospermtun continued. 



with commonly three pairs of leaflets and an odd one, which are 



quite entire and smooth, h. 10ft. 



MYROXYIiON (from myron, myrrh, and xylon, wood ; 

 the wood is resinous and sweet-scented). Tolu Balsam- 

 tree. SYN. Toluifera. OBD. Leguminosae. This genus 

 contains about six species of stove evergreen trees, 

 natives of tropical America. Flowers in axillary or 

 terminal clusters. Leaves impari-pinnate, marked with 

 pellucid dots. The species thrive in a compost of loam 

 and peat, to which may be added a small quantity of 

 silver sand and leaf mould. Propagated, during summer, 

 by cuttings of half-ripened shoots, placed in sand, under 

 a bell glass, in bottom heat. The most important species 

 are given below. 



M. perniferum (Peru Balsam-bearing). Peru Balsam-tree. 

 JL white, disposed in axillary racemes. I. coriaceous, abruptly 

 pinnate, usually with about two pairs of ovate-lanceolate, entire, 

 emarginate leaflets, which are full of transparent, linear, resinous 

 dots. h. 40ft. Peru, Ac., 1824. A very beautiful tree, long 

 supposed (but erroneously) to be the source of Balsam of Peru. 



BL pubescens (downy), fl. white, disposed in terminal racemes. 

 August. I. rather membranous, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 

 smooth above and pubescent beneath, emarginate. Branches 

 and petioles hairy, h. 40ft. South America, 1820. An elegant 

 tree, the bark of which is filled with white resin. 



M. Toluiferum (Tolu Balsam-bearing). Tolu Balsam-tree. 

 tl. yellowish, disposed in small axillary racemes. I. oblong-ovate ; 

 leaflets oblong, acuminated, equal-sided, rounded at the base. 

 Branches and leaves glabrous, h. 40ft. South America, 1733. 

 A large, spreading tree, with very thick, rough, brown bark. 

 The balsam flows from incisions made in the bark, during the 

 hot season ; its smell is extremely fragrant, somewhat resembling 

 that of lemon, audits taste is warm and rather sweet. (B. M. PL 

 84, under name of Totuifera Balsamum.) 



MYRRHIS (the old Greek name used by Dioscorides, 

 probably from myrrha, myrrh ; in allusion to the scent 

 of the plants). Sweet Cicely or Myrrh. OBD. Umbelliferae. 

 A genus comprising only a couple of species of hairy, 

 hardy, perennial herbs, with the habit of Chcerophyllum ; 

 one is an inhabitant of the mountains of Europe and 

 the Caucasus region, and the other is North American. 

 Flowers white, polygamous; petals cuneate, obovate, or 

 oblong ; umbels compound ; involucres one, two, or many- 

 bracteate. Leaves pinnately-decompound ; segments pinna- 

 tifid or toothed. The only species worth notice is the 

 native M. odorata. This is a very graceful-looking plant, 

 and is suitable for naturalising in many situations, such 

 as in wild gardens and semi-wild spots generally. It 

 thrives in almost any soil, and may be propagated by 

 divisions or by seeds. 



BL odorata (sweet-scented).* JL. white, in terminal compound 

 umbels ; involucels of many lanceolate ciliated leaves. May. 

 fr. nearly lin. long, with five very prominent ribs, usually clothed 

 with minute stiff hairs. 1. ternately decompound ; leaflets pinna- 

 tifid. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Britain, France, eastward to Caucasus. 

 Once cultivated as a pot-herb, and still used in salads in Italy. 

 (Sy. En. B. 626.) 



MYRSINE (the old Greek name given by Dioscorides 

 to the Myrtle). SYNS. Athruphyllum, Caballeria, Man- 

 glilla, Rapanea, Samara, and Scleroxylon. OBD. Myrsinece. 

 This genus contains about eighty species of stove or 

 greenhouse, glabrous trees or shrubs, rarely pubescent or 

 tomentose, natives, for the most part, of Asia, Africa, or 

 tropical America ; a few are indigenous in Japan, extra- 

 tropical Africa, Australia, the islands of the Atlantic, and 

 New Zealand. Flowers small, disposed in axillary fas- 

 cicles, sessile or pedunculate. Leaves coriaceous, entire, 

 rarely serrulate. The species best known to cultivation 

 are described below. For culture, see Ardisia. 



BL afrloana (African), fl. pale, axillary, by threes; petals 

 ciliated. March to May. I. elliptic, serrated, acute, dotted. 

 h. 3ft to 6ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1691. Greenhouse shrub. 



M. oapitellata (small-headed). JL pale yellowish-green, small, 

 in axillary, sessile, crowded heads. January. 1. 5in. to 6m. long, 

 oblong-lanceolate, rather acute, coriaceous, shortly petioled, 

 quite entire, dark green above, paler beneath, h. 4ft (hi its 

 native country a tree 30ft. to <JOft.). Nepaul, 1828. Stove shrub. 

 (B. M. 3222.) ' 



