MELASTOMA 



E. India to Austral. -Probably the M. Malahnthrictim 

 of horticulturists is one of the above species. Not Isnown 

 to be in the Amer. trade. L. H. B. 



M£LIA (ancient Greelj name). Meliicecp.. Trees, 

 from 30 to 40 feet high : Ivs. deciduous, doubly pinnate 

 as a rule, the Ifts. acuminate, glabrous: fls. in graceful 

 panicles; sepals 3-.t; petals 5 or 6; stamens mouadel- 

 phous, 10-12, of two different lengths: ovary with sev- 

 eral locules, topped with a single style: fr. a small, in- 

 dehiscent drupe. Species 2 or 3, of Asia and Australia. 

 A. Lvs. more than once-pinnate. 



Az^daraoh, Linn. This is the typical species as intro- 

 duivd in the southern states early in the last century. 

 It is a native of India and Persia, hence its vtrious 

 local names, as Pride of India, Indian Lilac, China- 

 berry tree, etc. It has become naturalized throughout 

 the South, the seeds germinating freely. It grows with 

 great rapidity, and forms one of the most desirable 

 shade trees, both from the bright green tint of the foli- 

 age, which is retained until late in the autumn, and also 

 from the fragrance of the numerous, lilac-colored flow- 

 ers, which are produced during Api'il. These are suc- 

 ceeded by an abundant crop of berries, of a yellowish, 

 translucent color, whicli are readily eaten by cattle and 

 birds. The wood, although coarse, is very durable. The 

 tree can withstand a low temperature, but a cold of 

 zero will injure it. Several forms have been found, 

 a white-flowering and one with finely-cut leaves, with 

 tlie segments of the Ifts. cut in narrow divisions. These 

 forms are not constant, the seedlings frequently revert- 

 ing to the typical species. In all forms of M. Azedarnch, 

 the lvs. are 2- or 3-pinnate, the ultimate Ifts. ovate or 

 lanceolate, and varying from serrate to very nearly en- 

 tire. B.JI. UKiCi. 



Var. umbraculif6rmis, Hort. Texas Umbrella Tree. 

 Fig. 1387. The first tree that came to notice was found 



MELILOTUS 



1001 



\ 



"■:/ 



^^'^ 



1388, 



Melicocca bijuga (sprays XM). 



near the battle-field of San Jacinto. Texas, but with no 

 record of its introduction there. If the flowers are not 

 cross-pollinated with the common sort, tlie percentage 

 of seedlings which reproduce the exact umbrella shape 



seldom varies; hence it is supposed by some to be a 

 distinct species. The Ifts. are less broad than iu il. 

 Azedarach, and the branches erect, and, in a manner, 

 radiating from the trunli, the drooping foliage giving 

 the tree the appearance of a gigantic umbrella. Mn. 8, 

 p. 73. 



aa. Leaves once-pinnate. 



Azadirdchta, Linn. (M. Japdnica. Hassk.). Large 

 tree, sometimes 50 ft.: lvs. broad, with 9-15 lance- 

 acuminate, oblique, more or less serrate Ifts. : fls. white, 

 fragrant: foliage crowded near the ends of the branches. 

 India. — Not hardy in the Middle South. 



M. floribunda, Carr. (R.H. 1872:470) is probably a form of 

 M. Azedarach. It is more precocious and very lloriferous.— 

 M. sempervirens, Sw. Prom Jamaica. A low -growing tree 

 with leaves deeply incised. Flowers in axillary panicles, small, 

 light lilac, fragrant, in constant succession. A greenhouse 

 species. Probably only a form of J/. AzedaracA. B.R. 8:643. 

 P. J. Berckmans and L. H. B. 



MELIANTHUS {met, honey, and antlios, flower). 

 !S'//" inlarrif . About G species of evergreen shrubs, 

 nativrs of South Africa. Can be grown out-of-doors in 

 S. Calif. Foliage has a disagreeable odor when bruised; 

 lvs. alternate, stipulate, odd-pinnate ; Ifts. unequal- 

 sided, toothed: fls. in axillary and terminal racemes, 

 secreting honey plentifully; calyx laterally compressed, 

 with or without a sac-like protuberance at the base, and 

 a nectar-bearing gland within; petals 5, the anterior one 

 abortive; stamens 4, didynamous. M. Himalayanus is 

 M. major, which has been introduced into S. Asia. 



a. Calyx gibbons at base. 

 m&jor, Linn. Stem flexuous, glabrous, sometimes 10 

 ft. or more in height, with a widely creeping root: lvs. 

 gray, a foot or more long, the upper ones smaller; stip- 

 ules grown together into one large, intra-axillary piece, 

 attached to the lower part of the petiole; Ifts. 9-11, 3-4 

 iu. long, 2 in. wide: racemes densely-fld., I ft. or more 

 in length: bracts ovate, acuminate : fls. red-brown, I in. 

 long: capsule papery, 4-lobed at the apex, 1-lM in. 

 long: seeds 2 in each cell, black and sljining. Cape. 

 B.R. 1:45. R.H. 1867, p. 131. 



AA. Calyx not conspicuously gibbons at base. 

 minor, Linn. Lvs. 5-6 in. long; stipules 2, subulate, 

 lateral, free; Ifts. lK-2 in. long, 6-10 lines wide: ra- 

 cemes 6-12 in. long, subterminal: fls. dull red: capsule 

 obtuse at each end, scarcely 4-lobed, 8 lines long. Cape. 

 Not B.M.301, which is M. eomosus. 



M. B. COULSTON. 



MELIC6CCA (Greek, hnney berry; referring to the 

 taste of tlie fruit), iiapinddceie. Two or 3 species of 

 trci|ii.-al fruit trees, natives of Guiana and Trinidad. 

 'I'lir Spanish Lime, M. bijuga, is cult, in S. Fla. and 

 S. < ';ilif. Its fruits are about tlie size and shape of 

 plums, green or yellow, and have a pleasant, grape-like 

 flavor. The large seeds are sometimes roasted like 

 chestnuts. The tree grows slowly, attaining 20-fiO ft., 

 and bears freely. It can be fruited in the 

 North under glass. Generic characters: lvs. 

 abruptly pinnate: racemes divided: calyx 4- 

 parted; segments imbricated: petals 4; sta- 

 mens 8; disk complfte; stigma peltate, sub- 

 si ssile: ovary 2-celIed: berry 1-2-seeded. 



hijilga, Linn. Spanish Lime or Ginep. 

 1 i.r li88. Lfts. in 2 pairs, elliptical or ellip- 

 tn lanceolate, entire, glabrous; fls. whitish, in 

 teuninal racemes. Naturalized in the West 

 Indies. Bears several degrees of frost. The 

 foliage is distinct, the compound lvs. with 

 winged petioles resembling those of Sapindns 

 saponaria, the West Indian Soap-berry. 



MELILOTUS I Greek for honey lotus). Le- 

 gumiiinsif. SuKKT Clover. Perhaps a dozen 

 specii-s of annual or biennial tall-growing, 

 sweet-smelling herbs. Widely distributed in 

 temperate and subtropical regions. Lvs. pinnately 3- 

 foliolate, the lfts. toothed and mostly narrow: fls. small, 

 white or yellow, in slender, long-stalked, axillary ra- 

 cemes; calyx teeth short and nearly efjual ; standard 



