2048 



MICROLEPIA 



MICROLEPIA (Greek, a small scale; alluding to the 

 indusium). Polypodiacese. A genus of graceful green- 

 house ferns, allied to Davallia, but having the shallow, 

 half-cup-shaped, membranous indusium attached to the 

 sides as well as the base ; the stalks are also continuous 

 with the rootstock, and not joined to them, as in the 

 true davallias. Twenty or more species are known. 

 For cult., see Davallia. 



A. Lvs. once-pinnate. 



marginata, C. Chr. (M. marginalis, Baker. M. 

 scdbra, Hort.). Rootstock creeping: Ivs. 18-24 in. long, 

 9-15 in. wide, with linear pinnae, which are cut about 

 half-way to the rachis into bluntish, oblong lobes. 

 Ceylon to China. 



AA. Lvs. tri-quadripinnatifid. 



platyphylla, J. Smith. Rootstock stout, scaly: Ivs. 

 3^4 ft. long, on stout stalks, tripinnatifid ; ultimate 

 divisions broad, bluntish, toothed, oblong, deltoid; sori 

 2-12 to a segm., 1 in each tooth. India to Japan. 



hirta, Presl. Lvs. 3-6 ft. long, on stout stalks, tri- 

 quadripinnatifid; ultimate divisions oblong, broadly 

 toothed; rachises hairy or pubescent; sori 2-20 to a 

 segm., 1 or more together at the base of each tooth. 

 India and Polynesia. Var. cristata is also offered by 

 the trade. F. 1878, p. 59. Gn. 31, p. 428. F.R. 1:769. 



L. M. UNDERWOOD. 



MICROLOMA (smatt fringe, referring to the hairs 

 in the corolla-tube). Asdepwdacex. Slender-stemmed 

 twining perennials, or sometimes dwarf little shrubs, 

 little known in cult.: Ivs. small, opposite: fls. mostly 

 pink or red, in small subaxillary umbel-form cymes: 10 

 species in S. Afr. M. tenuifolium, Schum., has a clus- 

 ter of stout fleshy roots, partially herbaceous, glabrous 

 St., linear revolute Ivs., urn-shaped somewhat fleshy 

 carmine-red corollas with tube 2^ in. long. B.M 

 8248. 



MICROMELES: Sorbus. 



MICROMELUM (from the Greek for small and 

 apple). Rutdcese. Small spineless trees or shrubs dis- 

 tantly related to Citrus, of interest for breeding experi- 

 ments and trial as stocks. 



Leaves odd-pinnate; Ifts. 3-9, alternate, ovate or 

 obtusely acuminate: infl. a many-fld. terminal cyme 

 or corymb; fls. 4-5-parted: fr. small, like a large pea, 

 5-celled with 1-2 ovules in each cell. The genus 

 ranges from Indo-China throughout India and the 

 Malay Archipelago, and includes several species. They 

 should be intro. into the U. S. for trial in breeding 

 experiments. WALTER T. SWINGLE. 



MICROMERIA (small part; small-flowered). Labi- 

 atse. Small more or less trailing or decumbent peren- 

 nial herbs and subshrubs, sometimes planted in bor- 

 ders and rock-gardens. 



Leaves usually small, entire or toothed: whorls 

 axillary or in terminal spikes; fls. small; calyx tubular 

 and mostly 13-nerved, 5-toothed, somewhat 2-lipped; 

 corolla 2-lipped, upper lip erect, flattish, entire or 

 notched, lower spreading, 3-lobed; stamens 4, didyn- 

 amous; style 2-parted. at apex: nutlets smooth, 

 ovoid or oblong. Species 60 or more in northern extra- 

 tropical countries, particularly in the Medit. region. 

 By some authorities, the genus is included in Satureia. 

 Of simple cultural requirements. Prop, by division as 

 well as by seeds. 



A. Fls. few in the axils. 



Chamissonis, Greene (M. Douglasii, Benth. Thymus 

 Chamissonis, Benth.). YERBA BUENA. Perennial: sts. 

 long, slender, trailing and creeping, with sweet-scented 

 rounder oval Ivs., 1 in. or less across: fls. purplish, 

 mostly solitary in the axils, on long 2-bracted pedicels. 



2371. Micromeria Piperella. 

 (Flower X 1 A) 



MICROSTYLIS 



Woodlands, from Vancouver Isl. to S. Calif. Sandy soil. 

 Roots by stolons. 



Piperella, Benth. (Thymus Piperella, All.). Fig. 2371. 

 Afe.w inches high, with slender arching branches: Ivs. 

 ovate, more or less cordate, sessile: fls. purple-and- 

 white in few-fld. lax peduncled secund fascicles; corolla 

 lightly pubescent. S. Eu. A partially shrubby rock- 

 garden plant; prop, by cuttings. 



AA. Fls. numerous in the axils. 



rupestris, Benth. A dense, low-growing perennial, 

 woody at the base, with prostrate sts., which turn up 



at the extremities, 

 giving a heath-like 

 effect when in 

 bloom : Ivs. with the 

 odor and taste of 

 pennyroyal: fls. 

 abundant, small, 

 white, with laven- 

 der spots on the 

 inner side of corolla- 

 lobes, borne for 

 several inches along 

 the sts. S. Eu. - 

 Prop, from cuttings and seeds. It blooms from July 

 until heavy frosts, and proves very satisfactory for 

 rockery and informal border. L H B t 



MICROPHCENIX (small Phoenix). Palmacese. A 

 name applied to two hybrid palms that were described 

 some thirty years ago. M . decipiens, Naudin, is a hybrid 

 between Phoenix dactylifera and Chamasrops humilis; and 

 M . Sahutii, Carr., between the foregoing (M . decipiens) 

 and Trachycarpus excelsus, with the violet-colored 

 petioles and fruit of the latter parent. R.H. 1885, 

 p. 513. 



MICROSPfiRMA: Eucnide. 



MICROSTYLIS (Greek, small style). Syn., Achro- 

 dnthus. Orchidacese. Mostly terrestrial orchids, some- 

 times grown under glass, and the hardy kinds perhaps 

 transplanted to the bog-garden; some of the exotic 

 species have colored foliage. 



Deciduous, low plants, with fleshy roots, solid bulbs, 

 or some of the kinds with pseudobulbs: Ivs. plicate or 

 membranaceous (in some species only 1): fls. mostly 

 small, usually greenish or yellowish but often oddly 

 shaped, in a terminal raceme, spike or umbel, with small 

 and narrow bracts; sepals free, spreading and nearly 

 equal; petals about the length of the sepals but very 

 narrow or even filiform; lip sessile and erect or spread- 

 ing, shorter than petals but often very broad, entire or 

 fimbriate or 2-3-lobed, cordate or ovate or auricled at 

 base; ppllinia 4, in pairs: fr. a small ovoid beakless caps. 

 Species more than 100, in many parts of the world, 

 largely in the North Temperate Zone and some of 

 them tropical; a few species occur in the U. S. and 

 Canada. None of the species seems to be regularly in the 

 American trade, but a few are offered abroad by orchid 

 specialists. 



The species of microstylis are deciduous orchids. 

 They grow well in the warm end of the cattleya depart- 

 ment, or better still treated like thunias or calanthes, 

 a rather warm moist atmosphere when growing in 

 spring, reducing the same toward late summer as they 

 begin to lose their foliage, and eventually resting them 

 quite dry in a temperature of about 60 F. during winter. 

 They will probably suffer in a Wardian case or bell- 

 glass. They certainly will after growth is completed, 

 if not at all times. (Robert M. Grey.) 



M. caloph^lla, Reichb. f. 9 in.: fls. yellowish: Ivs. ovate, 

 undulate, spotted green, greenish brown in center and the margin 

 gray-green: pseudobulb conical. Malaya. M. congesta, Reichb. f. 

 (M. Bernaysii, F. Muell. M. fusca, Reichb. f.). One foot: fls. 

 greenish yellow, in a dense cylindrical raceme or spike: Ivs. green. 



