2044 



MESPll.rs 



METROSIDEROS 



2368. Me<Uar — MespUusger- 

 mnnica. tXatural size) 



eloncsitoil-oblong, pubescent, sorrato: tls. l:irt;i- and 

 sessile on sliort lejuy shoots, white or pinkisli, pdlics- 

 cent outside: stylos usually .">. glalmnis ami dislinct; 

 top of the liypanthium puhesceut : t'r. a pome with 

 oiKMi top Wariun a inori." or less hairy disk and from 

 which the pyn-iies or stones p;irtially or sli{jlilly i)ro- 

 tnide. Viir. gigantea, Kirchn. (Vivr. mncmcdiiHi. Hort.), 



is a larpt^frnited form. 

 \'ar. abortiva, Kirohn. 

 ^va^. iipi/rt'iui, Koeh), is a 

 seedless form. Cent, and 

 S. Eu. to tlie Caucasus, 

 and also wild in Knjiland 

 but probably not indige- 

 nous there. C!. •l:oti3. It 

 hybridizes with Cnitiegus 

 (sec CraLrgo - Mespilus, 

 Vol. II, p. 878). 



The medlar is grown to 

 a considerable extent in 

 parts of Europe for its 

 acid fruits, but in this 

 co\mtry it is very little 

 known. It is perfectly 

 hardy in central New 

 York, and its cultivation 

 requires no special treat- 

 ment or skill. It makes 

 a twiggy- tough - wooded 

 bush or small tree, 10 to 

 15 feet high, bearing large 

 white blossoms late in May or early in Jvme, after the 

 leaves are full size. The foliage is soft and luxuriant. 

 The fruit (Fig. 23GS) remains hard and austere until 

 mellowed by frosts. With the freezing and the incipient 

 decay, the fruit becomes brown and soft. It is usually 

 picked after it is touched by frost and laid away on 

 shelves or in drawers in a cool drj' room; the ripening 

 process whicli follows is known as bletting. When 

 finally softened, it is agreeable for eating from the hand, 

 particularly for tho.se who enjoy fruit-acids. It also 

 makes good preserves. Medlars are e.osily raised from 

 seeds, although .seeds (like those of Crata'gus) may not 

 germinate the first year. On these stocks the named 

 varieties may be grafted or budded. Medlars may also 

 be worked on pear, thorn (Crat;cgus) or (]uince. The 

 Dutch or Hollaniiish and the Nottingham ;ue the lead- 

 ing varieties. The fruit of the former is often 2J 2 inches 

 in diameter. The latter is much smaller, but Ls better 

 in quality. There is also a seedless variety, and two 

 variegated forms. 



.U. arhutifMiii, Linn.^Aronia arbutifolia. — M. {/ran/lifldra, 

 Smith^Crata-gua grandiflora (see Vol. II, p. 888). — M. japdnica, 

 Thunb.=Eriobotrya iaponica. — M. Pyracdntha, Linn.=Pyra- 

 cantha coccinea. — M. Smlthii, DC.=Crat8egu8 grandiflora. 



L. H. B. 

 MESQUIT of Mexico Ls Prosopis jvliflora (Legumi- 

 nosie;. A picture of a mosquit forest is shown in G. F. 

 1:116. 



METAPLEXIS (Greek, referring to relationships of 

 the corona parts and stamens). Aacle-piadw-r.if . Three 

 twining shrubs of Japan, N. China and Siberia, little 

 growTi: Ivs. opposite, cordate: fis. medimn or small, in 

 pedunculate clusters. M. Slaunlonii, Ro(!m. (fe Schult. 

 (.\f. chiniriidx, Decne. not Turcz.), hits aianninate 

 undulate Ivs.: racemes extra-axillary, pedimcled, the 

 fls, pale rose or greenish white, small: likely to kill to 

 the ground and to send up long herbaceous blooming 

 shoots. China. G. 32:661. 



METH6nICA: fJlmota. 



METROSEDEROS (Greek, heart of iron; this and 

 other genera of the myrtle family are called iron woods). 

 MyrUkes!. Bottle-brdsh. Trees and shrubs, some- 



times climbers, more or less plant<'d for the showy red 

 or white long-staniened flowers. 



Leaves coriaceoits, mostly o])i)ositc, sometimes dis- 

 liclious: fls. red, crimson, or white, mostly in tenninal 

 cymes or racemes; iH'l.als .''), sprca<lii\g; stamens very 

 numerous, I in. or more long, much longer than the 

 petals; ovary ;5-celled, with hliform style: fr. a coria- 

 ceous cajis., inclosed in the ])crsistent calyx-tube or 

 jjrotruding, the seeds nmncrous, linear. — The species 

 described below are coolhouse shrubs, and are rarely 

 grown outdoors in the S. The gt'iuis has about 20 

 species, half in New Zeal., and others in Pacific Isls. and 

 Austral., 1 in S. Afr. Some of the siK>cies are brilliant 

 when in bloom, although they have bei'U only .sparingly 

 intro. to cult. M. robunta is (lu^ remarkable "rata" of 

 New Zeal., of w'hich Cheeseman writes: "A magnificent 

 tree, sometimes reaching a gigantic size, siiecimens 

 having been measured with tnmks over 20 ft. diam. It 

 usually (but not invariably) commences life as an 

 ephiphyte in the upper branches of some tall forest- 

 tree, sending to the ground ai'rial roots, which coalesce 

 and form a trunk after the death of the supporting 

 plant. Terestrial specimens are fre(iuently seen, but 

 these either have no trunk at all, keeiting during life 

 the habit of a much-branched busliy shrub, or produce 

 ashort, hard, and durable wood, which is much employed 

 for wheelwrights' work, framework for machinery, 

 wagons, etc., and for shipbuilding." 



The plants belong to the chuss of Australasian shrubs 

 whose chief beauty lies in their long red stamens. They 

 are somewhat grown for a fancy Easter trade by florists, 

 largely from imported stock. They are allied to Callis- 

 temon, and at least some of the M. floribunda of the 

 trade is C. lanceolalus. In Metrosideros the flowers are 

 borne in dense two- or three-forked cymes, while in 

 Callistemon they are borne in spikes. In Fig. 74.5 (page 

 630) the plant is shown with apparently^ terminal 

 inflorescence, but the branch is really terminated by 

 the leaf-buds, which develop later. M. semperfiorens, 

 Lodd.=Callistemon lanceolatus. — M.speciosa, Sims= 

 Callistemon speciosus. 



The plant knowTi to the trade as Metrosideros robusta. 

 Fig. 23()9, and which is jirobably Callistemon lanceo- 

 latus, has been grown for many 

 years as a cool greenhouse plant, 

 but it is only within recent time 

 that Europeans have been sending 

 American florists the compact lit> 

 tie bushes that arrive with the 

 azaleas. The city florist can per- 

 haps di.spo.se of one of these bottle- 

 brushes for every ten plants of 

 Azalea indica. Plants in (5-inch pots, 

 well flowered, fixed with a red 

 ribbon and placed in a modern bas- 

 ket, certainly look novel and attrac- 

 tive. The Belgians grow the yoimg 

 plants in peat, as they do most hard- 

 wooded plants, but they do very 

 well in good turfy loam with a 

 fourth of leaf-mold. Cuttings of the 

 young growth may be struck in early 

 spring and planted out in good soil 

 by the end of May, but it is 

 cheaper tf) imjiort stock. When the 

 plants arrive, soak the ball of roots, 

 pot finnly and place them in a 

 liouse of about 4.')°. Freshly im- 

 liorfed plants cannot be forced in 

 much lieat, like azaleas, or they will 

 shed their flowers. Watch them care- 

 fully, give them more heat gnidu- 

 ally and they will bhjom for Easter. 

 Plants unsold the first spring will be 

 much more satisfactory the .second 

 year. By the end of April ('ut them 



2369. Metrosideros 

 floribunda of the 

 trade, but Callis- 

 temon lanceolatus of 

 the botanists. 



