1054 .MYRISTICA 



and Nutmeg are shown in Fig. U.j3. For a full illus- 

 trated and historical account of the Nutmeg, see B.M. 

 2756-7 (1827). L. H. B. 



The Nutmeg tree requires a position in well-sheltered, 

 hot, moist valleys in the tropics from sea-level up to 

 400 or 500 feet; it will grow and produce fruit in Ja- 



A 



maica up to 2,000 feet, but the fruit is not so abundant 

 nor the nut so large as at lower elevations. The soil 

 must be a deep, rich loam, well drained. The seedlings 

 have a tap-root which is very easily injured in trans- 

 planting. The method usually adopted for growing 

 them is to sow the seeds in bamboo pots, one in each. 

 When they are ready for planting in their permanent 

 places, the bamliuo is slit, and the .soil, with the plant, 

 gently put into the prepared hole. It is only when they 

 first fl.)Wif (li;it it is |,(,s.sil,li- to toll the sex of the tree. 

 X.itl,;h_' i- I;m..vii ..f tl:. r,,r„!itiniis which determine 

 flir ■ I:' ■ ;, ': ' i: 1 1 :i I ] iiv .] lortion of male trees 

 tc. |. I ! I - I , ili'Mi^h sometimes 40 or 



fii) 1 1 ' . . M ■ ' ' I ; I : ■ , I ;ill ill- ' iih.M' male or female. 



:iltl, 



feni! 



Wm. Fawcett. 



M'S'REHIS (from the Greek word for perfume). Urn- 

 iellifene. Myrkh. Sweet Cicely. One perennial herb 

 native to Europe, and an immigrant to other countries, 

 sometimes grown in gardens for its pleasing scent and 

 anciently used as a flavoring in salads. In America 

 Myrrhis is represented by Osmorhiza, which is known 

 as Sweet Cicely. Two or three of the American plants 

 have been named under Mvrrhis, but Coulter and Rose 

 (Revision N. Amer. Umbeliiferse, 1888) contrast the two 

 genera and refer these species to Osmorhiza. Technical 

 characters distinguish the two genera. 



TheMyrrh of theArabs is the gum of Balsamodendron 



MTRTUS 



Mi/rrha, a burseraceous tree which is now referred 

 (Bingler in DC. Monogr. Phaner. 4) to Commiphora. 



odorita. Scop. Myrrh. Soft-hairy or pubescent, erect, 

 2-3 ft. : Ivs. thin and soft, 2-3-pinnate, with narrow- 

 toothed or pinnatifid segments: fls. small, whitish, in a 

 compound umbel which is devoid of a general involucre: 

 fr. % in. long, longitudinally ribbed. Eu.— Herbage 

 sweet-scented. Rarely seen in this country, l. jj. g. 



MYKSiNE (an old Greek nam 

 application: the Myrtle is-Vi/Wii 

 &cem. About 80 widely s.;itii n 

 trees, of which M. tlorii'"' ' 

 but is probably no long.r 

 Ivs. leathery, mostly ( 



clus 



for the Myrtle, of no 



r:iiii III II II is ) . Mymin- 



■ I<^ of shrubs or 



' i.lTi-red in Fla., 



- or tomentose: 



I ssile or pedun- 



fr. 



shaped drupe, dry 



fleshv 



i."iw:,.ii«Li, n.Br. (M. Sapdnen, Roem. & Schult. 

 .1. /. ,,,i,,/, A. DC). Glabrous: Ivs. 3-4 in. long, 

 luathury, obuvate, rounded or notched at top, revolute at 

 margin, rusty and dotted beneath, devoid of pellucid 

 dots: clusters of fls. peduncled : corolla imbricated. 

 S. Fla. to Uruguay. 



MYRSIPHtLLUM. Consult A.yi'ini.ius. 



MYRTLE. Mi/rfus communis. Crape M. Lm/rr. 

 siriiiin.i. Running M. Kmco minor and others. Sand 

 M. l.,h,.h!iUum. 



M-?RTUS ( Mill- 



, the ancient Greek name). Mijrtil- 



, Mni;i!i-. Mi.-^fly shrubs: Ivs. opposite, entire, 



I. II iiiiii iiromatic: fls. white or rose- 



I 1 1 1, my, the central on short, lateral 



I il\\ tube turbinate, 5- (rarely 4-) 



.,!i..|, u ii.ilh. 1-1-1 I. lit; petals 5 (rarely 4) ; stamens 

 iiuiiicnius, ill' several rows, free: ovule 2-3-celled: fr. a 

 berry, adnate to, or included in the calyx-tube. A ge- 

 nus of perhaps 100 species, mostly subtropical natives 

 of S. America and Au.stralia. 



Myrtles are grown in pots for greenhouse, window or 

 room decorations, or, in Calif, and the South, as out- 

 door ornamental shrubs. They are easily cultivated and 

 readily propagated from firm or partially ripened cut- 

 tings. They like an abundance of water in summer, and 

 should never be allowed to get quite dry at the mots. 



commiinis, Linn. The clas- 

 sic Myrtle. A handsome 

 shrub, 3-10 ft. high, both fls. 

 and Ivs. strongly scented : 

 Ivs. small in the variety 

 usually cultivated: pedun- 

 cles solitarj', 1-fld., about 

 the length of the Ivs., bear- 

 ing 2 linear bractlets below 

 the fls. : berry black. July. 

 S. Eu. — Several varieties 

 are cult., which differ chiefly 

 in the shape and size of the 

 Ivs.; there is also a varie- 

 gated form. Makes a good 

 hedge in S. Fla. Everbloom- 

 ing in S. Calif. 



Li^ma, 1 

 ,i,iiriih)lu. DC. A'. Luma 

 LuMA. Shrub, 3 ft. or higl 

 or : peduncles 3- to ! 

 branched: fls. larger tha 

 those of M. commmiis. S. 

 Chile; hardy in S. Calif, and probably northward. 



Ugmi, Molina [Enghiia Ugni). Ugni or Chilean- 

 GuAVA. As usually seen under cult., this is a shrub 4 

 ft. high, but in its native habitat it is said to become a 

 tree 100 ft. high: pedicels 1-fld. : berry purple, glossy, 

 edible, with a pleasant odor and taste. Wood very hard 

 and heavy, much used in Chile for press-screws, wheel- 

 spokes and select implements. Chile; hardy in S. Calif. 

 B.M. 4026. R^^fTO, p. 403. 



M. ((U»f(p»Sl/Soands=5gDifctnyrtus tomentosa. 



after the mace is removed. 



disclosing the 



BrKTT Da 



noPEimr UBJUxr 

 H. C. SttU CtUefe 



