140 



M R 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



M R 



multifid. There are two varieties, one with an orange co- 

 rolla, the other dirty white. All natives of the Cape. 



16. Morsea Iridioides. Scape round; leaves distich, linear; 

 flower subsolitary, terminating. Native of the Levant. 



17. Moreea Chinensis. Corolla six-petalled ; style inclined. 

 Native of China. 



Morina; a genus of the class Diandria, order Monogynia. 

 GENERIC (CHARACTER. Calix: double; perianth of the 

 fruit inferior, one-leafed, cylindric, tubular, permanent; 

 mouth toothed ; toothlets two, opposite, longer, all subulate, 

 acute; perianth of the flower superior, one-leafed, tubular, 

 bifid ; segments emarginate, blunt, permanent, upright, the 

 size of the outer. Corolla: one-petalled, two-lipped; tube 

 very long, widening above, a little curved in, filiform at 

 bottom; border flat, blunt; upper lip semibifid, smaller; 

 lower trifid ; segments all blunt, uniform, the middle one more 

 lengthened. Stamina: filamenta two, bristle-shaped, approx- 

 imating to the style, parallel, shorter than the border; antherac 

 erect, cordate, distant. Pistil: germen globular, under the 

 receptacle of the flower ; style longer than the stamina, fili- 

 form ; stigma headed, peltate, bent in. Pericarp: none. 

 Seed: single, roundish, crowned with the calix of the flower. 

 ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: of the fruit one-leafed, 

 toothed: of the flower, bifid. Corolla: irregular. Seed: one, 

 under the calix of the flower. The only species is, 



1. Morina Persica. Root taper and thick, running deep 

 into the ground, sending out several thick strong fibres as 

 large as a finger; stem nearly three feet high, smooth, pur- 

 plish towards the bottom. Native of Persia near Ispahan. 

 It is propagated by seed sown soon after it is ripe in the 

 autumn, in open beds or borders of fresh light earth. They 

 seldom come up the first year. 



Morinda ; a genus of the class Pentandria, order Mono- 

 gynia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: receptacle com- 

 mon, roundish, collecting sessile flowers into a globe : peri- 

 anth five-toothed, scarcely observable, superior. Corolla: 

 one-petalled, funnel-form ; tube cylindric; border five-cleft, 

 acute, spreading very much ; segments lanceolate, flat. Sta- 

 mina : filamenta five, very short, inserted into the tube at 

 top ; antherse linear, erect, almost the length of the tube. 

 Pistil: germen inferior; style simple; stigma bifid, thickish. 

 Pericarp: berry subovate, angular, compressed on all sides 

 by the next, truncate, one-celled. Seeds ; two, convex on 

 one side, flat on the other. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 Flowers: aggregate, one-petalled; stigma bifid. Drupes: ag- 

 gregate. Six species are enumerated ; among which are, 



1. Morinda Umbellata; Narrow-leaved Morinda. Erect: 

 leaves lanceolate, ovate ; peduncles clustered. The root of 

 this tree is used in dyeing yellow. Native of the East Indies, 

 Cochin-china, and the Society Isles. 



2. Morinda Citrifolia; Broad-leaved Morinda. Arboreous, 

 with solitary peduncles. The bark of the root affords a 

 yellow dye. Native of the East Indies. 



3. Morinda Royoc ; Procumbent Morinda. Procumbent. 

 The roots dye linen of a dark hue, and would probably be 

 useful to the dyers. This shrub is a native of South America, 

 the West Indies, and Cochin-china. 



Morisonia ; a germs of the class Monadelphia, order Poly- 

 andria. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: perianth one- 

 leafed, ventricose. bursting, bifid, spreading at the mouth, 

 blunt, shrivelling. Corolla: petals four, blnnt, somewhat 

 oblong. Stamina: filamenta numerous, awl-shaped, shorter 

 than the corolla, connate into a funnel at the base; antbeixu 

 oblong, erect. Pistil: germen pedicelled, ovate; style none; 

 stigma headed, plano-convex, umbilicate with a dot. Peri- 

 carp : berry elobular. with a hard smooth rind, one-celled, 



pedicelled. Seeds: several, kidney-form, nestling. ESSEN- 

 TIAL CHARACTER. Calix: simple, bifid. Petals: four. 

 Pistil: one. Berry: with a hard rind, one-celled, many- 

 seeded, pedicelled. The only species known is, 



1. Morisonia Americana. Leaves oblong, blunt or acu- 

 minate, quite entire. An upright, rather inelegant tree, 

 seldom more than fifteen feet high. Native of South Ame- 

 rica and the islands of the West Indies. 



Morus; a genus of the class Monoecia, order Tetrandria. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Male Flowers, in an ament. 

 Calix: perianth four-parted; leaflets ovate-concave. Corolla: 

 none. Stamina: filamenta four, awl-shaped, erect, longer 

 than the calix, one within each calicine leaf; antherue simple. 

 Female Flowers, heaped either on the same, or a different 

 individual from the males. Calix: perianth four-leaved; 

 leaflets roundish, blunt, permanent, the two opposite outer 

 ones incumbent. Corolla: none. Pistil: germen cordate; 

 styles two, awl-shaped, long, reflex, rugged ; stigmas simple. 

 Pericarp: none. Calix: very large, fleshy, becomes succu- 

 lent like a berry. Seed: single, ovate, acute. ESSENTIAL 

 CHARACTER. Male. Calix: four-parted. Corolla: none. 

 Female. Calix: four-leaved. Corolla: none. Styles: two. 

 Calix: becoming a berry. Seed: one. The species are, 



1. Morus Alba; White Mulberry Tree. Leaves obliquely 

 cordate, even. This is a middle-sized tree, with a whitish 

 bark, and spreading branches ; leaves subserrate, undivided, 

 or three-lobed, some cut, petioled, scattered; berries lateral, 

 insipid, pale, oblong. There are two varieties, which differ 

 in the shape of their leaves, and the size and colour of their 

 fruit. Mr. Evelyn remarks, that the leaves of this tree are 

 far more tender than those of the next species, and sooner 

 produced by at least a fortnight ; nor is it less beautiful to 

 the eye than the fairest Elm, and very proper for walks and 

 avenues. The timber will last in winter as well as the most 

 solid oak, and the bark makes good and tough bast-ropes. 

 In France and Italy this tree is cultivated for the sake of its 

 leaves, to feed silk-worms ; for which purpose the Spaniards 

 of Valencia prefer it to the next species, but those of Granada 

 prefer the latter, which the Persians also use; and Mr. Miller 

 was assured by a gentleman who had tried both sorts, that 

 the worms fed with the leaves of the next species produced 

 much the best silk, but that it should never be given after the 

 worms have eaten for some time of the former, lest they should 

 burst. Culture. The most expeditious method of raising this 

 tree in quantity is from the seeds, which may be procured in 

 plenty from the south of France, or Italy. Prepare a fine 

 warm border of rich mellow earth, or, if that cannot easily be 

 had, make a moderate hot-bed, arched over with hoops, and 

 covered with mats. Sow the seeds towards the end of March 

 in drills, covering them with light earth a quarter of an inch 

 deep: in very dry weather water the bed gently and frequently, 

 in the heat of the day shade it with mats, and cover it when 

 the nights are cold. In five or six weeks the plants will come 

 up, and, being tender, must be guarded against frosty morn- 

 ings, which often happen in May. During summer keep 

 them clear from weeds, cover them from the extreme heat of 

 the sun, and water them in dry weather. In autumn cover 

 them again when the first frosts come, and continue to pro- 

 tect them through the first winter. The following March 

 transplant them into the nursery, there to remain two or 

 three years, and then bo removed to where they are to remain ; 

 or, if not very strong, they had better remain in the seed- 

 bed two years before they are planted out in the nursery, in 

 rows at two feet and a half distance, and one foot and a half 

 asunder in the rows, there to continue till strong enough to 

 plant out. The trees which are designed to feed silk-worms 



