MORUS 



somewhat grown for ornament, also appears to be of 

 this species. The curious lobing of the Ivs. on the 

 young growth is shown in the upper spray of Fig. 1433. 

 The nearest approach to this lobing is in the Japanese 

 (Morns Japonica), and this affords another of those 

 interesting parallelisms which exist between the Jap- 

 anese and eastern American floras. The red Mul- 



MOVING PLANT 



1035 



1431. Russian Mulberry Morus alba, var. Tatarica 



berry is the largest tree of the genus. In the South it 

 often attains a height of 70 ft. and a diam. of 3 or 4 ft. 

 The timber is used for posts and light woodwork. 



Var. tomentdsa, Bureau (M. tomentdsa, Raf.). Lvs. 

 very soft-pubescent and whitish beneath, often glossy 

 but rough above. Tex. A large-fruited form of this 

 was introduced in 1889 by T. V. Munson as the Lam- 

 pasas Mulberry. 



BB. Full-grown Ivs. usually 3 in. or less long. 



celtidifolia, HBK. ( M. Mexicctna, Benth. M. micro- 

 plty/la, Buckl.). Much smaller tree than M. rubra, 

 rarely more than 25 ft. tall, and with 

 smaller and smoother Ivs. and 

 smaller, sourer black fr., which 

 ripens earlier and is not so good. 

 Lvs. cordate-ovate, more or less 

 lobed, mucronate-serrate, nearly 

 smooth on both sides: fr. short- 

 ovate or sometimes nearly globu- 

 lar. Tex. and Ariz, to Ecuador. 

 S.S. 7:321. -Occasionally planted 

 for its fruits. j^ H. B. 



MOSQUITO PLANT. See Cyn- 



or calyptra (c) which is shed at maturity. The capsule 

 opens by means of a lid or operculum (o), and the ori- 

 fice is usually guarded by one or two rows of teeth or a 

 peristome. None of the Mosses 

 are horticultural plants, al- 

 though Sphagnum Moss is 

 much used as a packing ma- 

 terial and for holding moisture 

 about pots, and as a medium in 

 which to sow delicate seeds. It 

 is collected from bogs. Club 

 Mosses are not true Mosses, but 

 lycopodiums (which see). The 

 "Moss" on fruit and other trees 

 is mostly lichen. The Florida 

 or Spanish Moss is a flowering 

 plant ( see Tillandsia). L.H.B 



MOSS PINK. Phlox subulata 



MOTHER OF THOUSANDS. 



Una via Cymbalaria ; also 1432. 



Hen-and-chickens daisy \ Bellis) , Leaf of Morus alba at B ; 



and Saxifraga sarmentosa. of M. multicaulis at A. 



MOULDS. The term Mould is generally applied to any 

 small fungous growth which appears on decaying organic 

 matter, such as fruits, both fresh and preserved, vege- 

 tables, etc. The Moulds are very simple fungi producing 

 immense numbers of spores, a fact which accounts for 

 their presence everywhere, in the air, in dust, and on all 

 exposed bodies. As a rule these fungi are not directly 

 injurious to plants; they are normally saprophytes and 

 perform a great service in disorganizing organic matter 

 which would otherwise accumulate on the earth. A 

 few of the species may become parasitic. Thus, species 

 of Botrytis often attack lettuce in forcing-houses which 

 are too close and damp. Carnation buds and violet plants 

 are also frequently injured by Botrytis. The mould- 

 like growths occurring on boards in damp cellars or in 

 greenhouse benches are sterile mycelia of higher fungi. 

 These do not attack plants, but sometimes, as in the case 

 of violets, grow over and smother the plants. (See also 

 Diseases, Fungi. HEINRICH HASSELBRING. 



MOUNTAIN ASH. Pyrus Aucuparia. M. Cherry. 

 Prunus angustifolia. M. Ebony. Bauhinia. M. Holly. 

 Nemopanthes fascicularis. M. Laurel. Kalmia, par- 



MOSS. A general name for many 

 humble green plants of the crypto- 

 gamia (flowerless plants), mostly 

 with distinct stems and foliage 

 leaves. In North America there 

 are about 1,200 species, distributed in numerous families 

 and four orders. They have solitary, mostly stalked 

 spore-cases or capsules arising from the apex of a leafy 

 stem (Fig. 1434) . The capsule is covered with a thin cap 



1433. Morus rubra, the native 

 Mulberry (XJ-6). 



ticularly K. latifolia. M. Mahoe. Hibiscus elatus. 

 M. Mahogany. Cercocarpus. M. Mint. Pycnanthe- 

 mum. M. Rose. Antigonon. 



MOURNING BRIDE. See Scabiosa. 

 MOVING PLANT. Desmodium gyrans. 



