HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



131 



MEL 



known Cajeput Oil, which is green, and has a 

 powerful aromatic odor, and is highly valued as 

 a preservative of all preparations of natural his- 

 tory. The leaves of this species are used as a 

 tonic, and the bark in used as oakum and for 

 thatching houses. Numerous species are grown 

 as green-house plants, on account of the simplic- 

 ity of their foliage and the beauty of their 

 clustered flowers. M. major is an old green- 

 house plant, the leaves of which have a peculiar 

 odor, which ha^ given it tha name of " Pease 

 Meal Plant." 



Melanthium. From melos, black, and anthos, a 

 flower; referring to the dusky flowers. Linn. 

 lLe.mndria-Tri(jynia. Nat. Ord. Melanthacece. 



A small genus of half-hardy bulbs, requiring 

 the protection of the green-house or pit dur- 

 ing winter. The flowers are white, yellow, or 

 pink, and some with nearly black flowers. All 

 have very much the appearance of small Ixias. 

 They grow in a light soil, and flower in early sum- 

 mer. They are increased by offsets. Intro- 

 duced in 1797. 



Melianthus. Honey Flower. From mel, honey, 

 and anthos, a flower; the tubes contain a copious 

 supply of honey-like juice. Linn. Tetrandria- 

 Monotjynia. Nat. Ord. Zygophyttacecv. 



A small genus of ornamental shrubs or small 

 trees from the Cape of Good Hope, producing 

 axillary or terminal clusters of purple flowers, 

 from which the natives obtain honey for food 

 by shaking the branches. They are rarely, if 

 ever, introduced into the green-house, and it is 

 difficult to make them flower. 

 Melilotus. Sweet Clover. From mdi, honey, 

 and lotus, the honey lotus. Linn. Diadelphia- 

 Decandria. Nat. Ord. Falxtcece. 



This genus consists of about twenty species, 

 mostly belonging to Southern and Central Eu- 

 rope and Western Asia. Some of the species are 

 grown in their native countries as forage plants. 

 M. qfficirialis, with yellow flowers, and M. alba, 

 with white flowers, are common on the roadsides 

 in the United States, having become naturalized 

 from Europe. 



Melissa. Balm. From mdissa, a bee; literally, a 

 bee-flower. Linn. Didynamia- Gymnospermia. Nat. 

 Ord. Lamiacea;. 



Hardy herbaceous perennials. Tho different 

 species are widely diffused, being found through- 

 out Europe, Middle Asia, and by naturalization 

 in the United States. M. Romans has varieties 

 having leaves finely marked with yellow and 

 white, known as Golden and Silver Balm. Both 

 are delightfully fragrant. They are all hardy 

 perennials, and are propagated by cuttings and 

 by dividing the roots. 



Melocactus. Melon Thistle. From melos, a 

 melon, and cactus ; in allusion to the appearance 

 of the plants. Linn. Icosandria-Mbivxjynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Cactacece. 



A sectional genus of Cactus, differing from 

 Echinocactus in having the flowers produced on 

 a head or cushion covered with dense, woolly, 

 and bristly hairs, called atomentosum, while 

 those of the Echinocactus issue from tho bare 

 ribs or angles. M. communis, tho Turk's Cap 

 Cactus, so called from the flowering portion on 

 the top of tha plant being of a cylindrical form 

 and red color, liko a fez cap, is a fair represent- 

 ative of this class. In South America and in 

 many of the West Indian Islands it is very com- 

 mon, covering large tracts of barren soil. Not- 

 withstanding the arid places in which they 

 grow, they contain a considerable quantity of 



MEN 



moisture, and the mules resort to them when 

 hard pressed for water, carefully removing the 

 spines with their fore-feet previous to quench- 

 ing their thirst with the juice. 



Melon. See (Jucumis. 



Melon Thistle. See Mdocadus. 



Menispermum. Moon-seed. From mene, the 

 moon, and xpmtut, a seed; the fruit is kidney 

 or half -moon shaped; whence the English naiu a 

 Moon-seed. Linn. Diascm-Decandria. Nat. Ord. 



A small genus of handsome climbing shrubs, 

 natives of the Northern States and Europe, with 

 curiously-shaped leaves, racemes of yellowish or 

 greenish-white flowers, and red or black berries, 

 which have somewhat of an intoxicating quality. 

 M. CoLnadense, which is the commonest species, 

 is a hardy, free-growing climber, admirably 

 adapted for covering a wall or arbor in a very 

 short time, and in a very ornamental manner. 

 It is well deserving of general cultivation, and 

 yet it is comparatively little known, perhaps on 

 account of the modest color of its elegant little 

 drooping racemes of flowers, which are gen- 

 erally hidden from common observers by the 

 leaves. It looks very well on a lawn trained up 

 a single pole, and with the extremity of its 

 branches left to spread themselves to the wind 

 at pleasure. It also looks very well trained to 

 form a pillar, or to a frame with an umbrella-top, 

 etc. Propagated by cuttings, or from seed sown 

 in spring. 



Mentha. Mint. The Latin version of the Greek 

 name Minlha, borne by the daughter of Cocytus, 

 who, according to the poets, was metamorphosed 

 into a Mint plant by Proserpine in a fit of jeal- 

 ousy. Linn. Dldynainia- Gymnositermia. Nat. Ord. 

 Lamiacece. 



A well-known genus of useful herbs. The spe- 

 cies are pretty generally distributed throughout 

 the cooler parts of the world, but most common 

 throughout Europe. They have, through natu- 

 ralization, become quite common in many parts 

 of the United States. M. pipertia, is the well- 

 known Peppermint. It is extensively culti- 

 vated in Wayne County, N. Y., for the sake of 

 its volatile oil, which is procured by distilling 

 its leaves. M. viridis, or Spearmint, is the plant 

 that is used for culinary purposes under the 

 name of Mint. This species is extensively forced 

 or forwarded under glass, and thousands of 

 dollars' worth of it are sold in the winter and 

 of New York. M. 



is the trua Pennyroyal, a native of 

 Great Britain, like tho preceding species. (The 

 plant known as Pennyroyal of our woods is an 

 annual, lledeomv, pul&jioides, American Penny- 

 royal. ) The species are abundantly propagated 

 by suckers, division, or cuttings, md but rarely 

 produce perfect seed. The only difficulty in 

 their cultivation in the private garden is in keep- 

 ing them within bounds. M. citrata is the spe- 

 cies from which the Oil of Bergaiuot is extracted, 

 a native of Europe. 



Mentzelia. Named in honor of C. Mentzd, a Ger- 

 man botanist. Linn. Icosandria-Jfonogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. LtHisui-,' r. 



A genus of hardy annuals and perennials, 

 mostly with large white, showy flowers; com- 

 mon on the western plains. M. o#>icrtit-'i.s, a low- 

 branching plant from six to ten inches high, 

 with white polished stems, and deeply cut, 

 lance-shaped leaves, is found abundantly on the 

 arid, sandy plains of Oregon and California. It 

 produces oily seeds that the Indians pound up 



