HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



125 



LYG 



net; its net-like veins distinguishing it from 

 L lytdium. Linn. Cryptogamia-Filices. Nat. Ord. 

 Potypodiacece. 



L. Fursteri, a climbing Fern, common in the 

 South Sea Islands, constitutes this genus. It 

 is almost identical with the genus Lygodium. It 

 is also known as Uydroglosswm. 

 Lygodixim. Climbing Fern. From lyr/odes, flex- 

 ible ; in allusion to the twining habit of the 

 plants. Linn. Cryptogamia - Filices. Nat. Ord. 

 Polypodiacece. 



A. genus of climbing Ferns, mostly of an or- 

 namental character, and widely dispersed over 

 the warmer parts of the earth. L. scandens, in- 

 troduced from Japan in 1830, is a favorite in the 

 green-house, and is well adapted to house cul- 

 ture, as it requires but little light, and is not 

 injured by "furnace heat' or gas, so fatal to 

 most plants introdxiced into tj^ drawing-room. 

 It is, moreover, a rapid grower. With a little 

 management this plant can be made to complete 

 its growth during the summer, and it may then 

 be placed in a cool room in the house or in the 

 hall, where it will remain an object of beauty 

 till spring, when it may be cut down for a new 

 growth. There is reason to suppose that L. 

 scandens is hardy, even in the vicinity of New 

 York. It is increased by spores or root division. 

 L. palmatuw, the only native species, is found 

 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, and 

 Kentucky, It is pressed and sold in large 



MAG 



lor decoration, and is known in 

 the trade as the Hartford Fern. Many attempts 

 to cultivate this species have been made, but few, 

 if any, have been successful. A few plants, how- 

 ever, are growing in a garden at Man Chester, Conn. 



Lysimachla. Loosestrife. From lysis, dissolu- 

 tion, and miclie, strife ; supposed soothing 

 Sualities. Linn. Pentundrla-Monoijynia. Nat. 

 rd. Primulacecv. 



Hardy herbaceous perennials of the easiest 

 culture. L. mimmularia, Moneywort, is a well- 

 known evergreen trailer, a native of Great Brit- 

 ain. If kept in a pot of moist soil and suspend- 

 ed, it will produce shoots of two or three feet in 

 length, which hang down on every side. L. 

 nummularia aurea is a golden-leaved variety of 

 great beauty, now much used as a drooping 

 plant. L. verticillaia is an upright-growing plant, 

 with an abundance of showy yellow flowers 

 suitable for & large border. They all grow read- 

 ily from seed or from cuttings. 



Lythrum. From It^thron, black blood; the pre- 

 vailing purple color of the flowers. Linn. Dode- 

 candria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Lythracece. 



A genus of hardy annuals and herbaceous per- 

 ennials. Several of this latter species are com- 

 mon in marshes and wet plac3S throughout the 

 Middle and Western States. The flowers pro- 

 duced in the gardens are finer than those grow- 

 ing wild. They flower freely in the autumn 

 months. Propagated by division. 



M. 



Mace. The envelope which surrounds Nut- 

 megs. See Myristica. 



Madura. Osage Orange. Named after William 

 Muclure, a North American geologist. Linn. 

 Monoecia-Tetrandria. Nat. Ord. Moracea'. 



A genus of handsome, low-growing trees, gen- 

 erally attaining the height of thirty feet. There 

 are but three species included in the genus, two 

 of which are common in the West Indies, and 

 not hardy here, excepting in the extreme South- 

 ern States. M. aurantiaca, the Osage Orange, is 

 a native of the Southwestern States, and forms 

 a spreading tree from thirty to sixty feet high, 

 but is easily kept dwarf by cutting back, and is 

 extensively used as a hedge plant in the West- 

 ern States, for which purpose, its rapid growth, 

 together with its strong spines, renders it suita- 

 ble. The wood is bright yellow and very elas- 

 tic. It is called Bow-wood, from its being used 

 by the Indians for making bows. Young plants 

 are grown from seed, which, if sown in good 

 soil, will make very strong plants for the hedge- 

 rows in two years. Many prefer setting them 

 one year from seed. This species is hardy in 

 the vicinity of New York, and is used for hedges 

 and on the lawn. 



Macropiper. The word signifies large pepper. 

 Linn. Diandria-Triandria. Nat. Ord. Piptracea: 



M. methi/sticum, formerly called Piper metliysli- 

 cum, furnishes the root called Ava by the Poly- 

 nesians. It has narcotic properties, and is em- 

 ployed medicinally, but is chiefly remarkable for 

 the value attached to it as a narcotic and stimu- 

 lant beverage, of which the natives partake be- 

 fore they commence any important business or 



religious rites. It is used by chewing the root 

 and extracting the juice, and has a calming 

 rather than an intoxicating effect. Europeans 

 distil the juice, and use it as a beverage in mod- 

 erate quantities. By the more respectable of the 

 population it is considered a filthy preparation, 

 and is not indulged in. 



Macrozamia. From makros, long, and zamia. 

 Linn. Dicecia-Icosandria. Nat. Ord. Cycadaceee. 



This interesting genus is formed from a few 

 species of Zamia, and contains some of the most 

 beautiful plants under cultivation, for decorative 

 purposes. M. plumosa, plume-like, is one of the 

 most distinct and beautiful. M. corattipes is an- 

 other rare species. There are several species un- 

 der cultivation. They are all natives of Austra- 

 lia. For culture see Zamia. 



Madder. See Rubia. 



Madeira Nut. See Juglans. 



Madeira Vine. See Boussingauttia baselloides. 



Madia. Madi is the name of the original spe- 

 cies (M. saliva) in Chili. Linn. Syngenesia-Super- 

 flua. Nat. Ord. Asteracev. 



A small genus of coarse-growing, hardy annu- 

 als, with bright yellow and white flowers, natives 

 of Chili and Northern California. They grow 

 freely in almost any soil or situation. The 

 seeds should be sown in the spring as soon as 

 the ground is in readiness and the weather suf- 

 ficiently warm Introduced in 1831. 



Magic Tree. See Gintwi. 



Magnolia. Named after Pierre Magnol, Profes- 

 sor of Medicine at Montpellier; he died in 1715. 

 Linn. Polyandria-Polygynia. Nat. Ord. Magnolia- 



