136 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OP PLANTS. 



MOB 



A small genus of epiphytal Orchids, with dark 

 purple, curiously-shaped flowers, from Mexico. 

 They are rarely met under cultivation, and when 

 grown it is more for their singularity than their 



Morna. Named after Morna, one of Ossian's 

 heroines. Linn. Syngenesia-^Equalis. Nat. Ord. 



This is a small genus of beautiful half-hardy 

 annuals, with yellow and white everlasting 

 dowers, 'allied to Hetichrynum. They are from 

 Swan River. Introduced in 1835. They should 

 be started in a hot-bed, and planted out in May. 



Morning Glory. See Omvdvulus. 



Morus. Mulberry. From inor, the Celtic for 

 black; referring to the color of the fruit. Linn. 

 Moncecia-Tetrandria. Nat. Ord. Mcracea>. 



The species of the Mulberry grow from ten to 

 forty feet high, and are more celebrated as af- 

 fording leaves upon which the Silk-worm feeds 

 than for their fruit, which is, however, of a very 

 grateful quality. M. rubra, the Red Mulberry, 

 is very common throughout the United States, 

 and produces the best fruit of any of the species. 

 Charles Downing raised a seedling from M. alba 

 multicaidis, which is called " Everbearing, " and 

 justly so, as it ripens its fruit earlier than any 

 of the species, and keeps in bearing later. M. 

 nigra, the Black Mulberry, is the species that was 

 formerly cultivated for its fruit, and was an ob- 

 ject of much attention at a very early period in 

 the western parts of Asia and Europe. The 

 care bestowed upon it must have been solely 

 on account of its fruit; for the knowledge of the 

 mode of rearing silk-worms was confined to the 

 people of central and southern Asia till the 

 sixth century. It is mentioned in the Psalms 

 that the wrath of the Almighty destroyed the 

 "Mulberry trees with frost," and this must 

 have been recorded as a remarkable instance of 

 the Divine displeasure; for the Mulberry is uni- 

 versally known not to put forth its buds and 

 leaves till the season is so far advanced that, in 

 the ordinary course of events, all dangers from 

 frost are past. We also read in the Bible that 

 "David came upon the Philistines, and smote 

 them over against the Mulberry trees." This 

 species is found wild in the chains of the Cau- 

 casus and adjoining mountains, and also in 

 Persia and Asia Minor. M. alba, the White 

 Mulberry, is a native of China, and, with its 

 varieties, is cultivated for food for the Silk- 

 worm. Of all the varieties, M. alba multicaulis 

 is considered the best, and is the most grown in 

 silk-producing countries. It was this variety 

 that created such a mania in the United States 

 about forty years ago, when it was asserted that 

 silk was soon to take the place of cotton, and 

 that in p.ll the Middle States it could be profit- 

 ably produced. It is now largely grown in Cali- 

 fornia for raising the Silk-worm. 



Mpscharia. From moschos, musk; a musk-smell- 

 ing plant. Linn. Syrujenes'ui-jEpMilis. Nat. Ord. 



A half-hardy annual from Chili, interesting 

 only for the fragrance of the plant; the flowers 

 are white, but of little merit. 



Moss Campion. One of the popular names of 

 . which see. 



Moss Pink. See Phlox subidata. 



Mother of Thousands. See Cymbakiria. 



Motherwort. Leonwrim, an utterly worthless 

 weed, common in neglected and waste places. 



Mountain Ash. See Pynts auaiparia. 



Mountain Cowslip. See Primula. 



MUS 



Mountain Fringe. See Adlumia. 



Mountain Mahoe. See ParUldm. 



Mouse-ear C.hickweed. See Cemslium. 



Mucuna. Cow Itch. The Brazilian name. Linn. 

 Diadetphia-Decandna. Nat. Ord. Faiin,-,,i'. 



The plants of this genus are well known to 

 travelers in tropical countries from the exceed- 

 ingly annoying character of their seed-pods, 

 which are thickly covered with stinging hairs, 

 easily detached by the slightest shake, and 

 causing great irritation if they happen to fall 

 upon exposed parts of the body. 



Mukia. Derivation unknown. Linn. Monosda- 

 Decagynia. Nat. Ord. CuciirbitacecK. 



A small genus of Oucurbitacecr, nearly allied to 

 Bryonia. They are confined to the tropics of 

 the old world. M. scabrella is widely diffused. 

 It is an annual scabrous climbing herb, with 

 entire or lobed leaves, small yellow flowers, and 

 greenish fruit, half an inch in diameter, which 

 is yellow or reddish when ripe. 



Mulberry. See Morus. 



Mullein. See Verbascum. 



Murraya. Named after Professor Murray, editor 

 of Linnceus's works. Linn. Decandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Aurantiacece. 



A small genus of hot-house evergreen trees 

 from India, Java, and China, producing showy 

 white flowers, which are very fragrant. 



Murucuya. The name of the species in Brazil. 

 Linn. Monadelphia-Pentandria. Nat. Ord. Passi- 

 floracea?. 



A small genus of green-house climbers, with 

 showy scarlet or purple flowers. The genus 

 was formerly included in Passifiora, and should 

 in all respects be treated the same. Natives of 

 Brazil. 



Musa. Plantain Tree, Banana Tree. Altered 

 from maux, the Egyptian name, in honor of 

 Antonius Musa. Linn. Pentandria-Monogy?iia. 

 Nat. Ord. Musacect:. 



The representative species of this interesting 

 and useful genus are M. paradisiaca, the Plan- 

 tain, and M. sapienttim, the Banana. The latter 

 has its stems marked with purple spots, and its 

 fruits are shorter and rounder than those of the 

 Plantain, and are red and yellow in color, but 

 otherwise the two plants are little different one 

 from the other. The fruit of the Plantain is 

 smaller and angular, and yellow in color. " They 

 have been cultivated from the most remote times 

 in tropical climates, in sub-tropical Asia, Amer- 

 ica, Africa, and the islands of the Atlantic and Pa- 

 cific Oceans, for the sake of their fruits, which they 

 produce in enormous quantities, with very little 

 attention. There are several varieties, the fruits 

 of which differ in color and taste. The starch in 

 the unripe fruit becomes converted, as it ripens, 

 into mucilage and sugar. They are highly nu- 

 tritious, and serve as the staple food of a large 

 number of the human race. Though less nutri- 

 tious than wheat or potatoes, yet the space oc- 

 cupied by their culture and the care required 

 are so very much less, that Huruboldt has cal- 

 culated the produce of Bananas compared to 

 that of Wheat as 133 to 1, and to that of Potatoes 

 as 44 to 1. Plantain meal is obtained by pow- 

 dering the dried fruit. It is very nutritious, as 

 it contains not only starch, but proteine or flesh- 

 forming material. The fruits of the Plantain 

 are stated by chemists to be most nearly allied 

 in composition and nutritive qualities to the Po- 

 tato, and the Plantain meal to Rice. The natives 

 in many parts of India live almost entirely on 

 Plantains, and the stems, laden with fruit, are 



