MELASTOMA 



E. India to Austral. -Probably the M. Malabathricttm 

 of horticulturists is one of the above species. Not known 

 to be in the Amer. trade. L. H. B. 



MfiLIA ;:nMi>r,t rh-rfk name). MeliAcece. Trees, 

 from :i" I 1"! * ' ' : Ivs. deciduous, doubly pinnate 

 as a nil. , niiiate, glabrous: Us. in graceful 



paniclr- ; , ;. t;ils 5 or C; stamens monadel- 



phous, HI 1-, "1 iwj iliilerent lengths: ovary with sev- 

 eral loculcs, toiii.iMi with a single style: fr. a small, in- 

 dehiscent drupe. Species 2 or 3, of Asia and Australia. 

 A. Lis. more than once-plvvafe. 



Az^darach, Linn. Tlii^ i^ the t\|.ir:il -i..^;,-^ a< intl-.i- 

 duced in the snuiln in -intr- , ,irl\ in tlir l.i.t .■,iitiii\ . 



local names, as I'li.l.' mI Indi;,. In.li.m I-iUh'. cliina- 

 berry tree, etc. It has hceoniu natiir;iliZLil thiuunliuut 

 the South, the seeds germiuatiug freely. It grows with 

 great rapidity, and forms one of the most desirable 

 shade trees, both from the bright green tint of the foli- 

 age, which is retained until late in the autumn, and also 

 from the fragrance of the numerous, lilac-colored flow- 

 ers, which are produced during April. These are suc- 

 ceeded by an abundant crop of berries, of a yellowish, 

 translucent color, which are readily eaten by cattle and 

 birds. The wood, although coarse, is very durable. The 

 tree can withstand a low temperature, but a cold of 

 zero will injure it. Several forms have been found, 

 a white-flowering and one with flnely-cut leaves, with 

 the segments of the Ifts. cut in narrow divisions. These 

 forms are not constant, the seedlings frequently e t 

 Ing to the typical species. In all forms oi M. A }a a I 

 the Ivs. are 2- or 3-pinnate, the ultimate Ifts o ate or 

 lanceolate, and varying from serrate to verj n a ly en 

 tire. B.M. 10(i6. 



MELILOTUS 



1001 



M. 



Var. umbraculifdrmis, Hort. Texas Ujibre 

 Pig. 1387. The first tree that came to notice v 



seldom varies; hence it is supposed by some t< 

 distinct species. The Ifts. are less broad than 

 A^edarach, and the branches erect, and, in 

 radiating from the trunk, the drooping foliage giving 

 the tree the appearance of a gigantic umbrella. Mn. 8, 

 p. 73. 



AA. Leaves once-pinnate. 

 Azadirichta, Linn. {M. Jap6nica, Hassk.). Large 

 tree, sometimes 50 ft.: Ivs. broad, with 9-15 lance- 

 acuminate, oblique, more or less serrate If ts. : fls. white, 

 fragrant: foliage crowded near the ends of the branches. 

 India. -Not hardy in the Middle South. 



,1/- thn-n„h,,l„ V:,yr (R }\ ls7'"'47nl U ,.r.,l,;,1,lv ,-, f"rm f>f 



r. J. Bekciuiaxs and L. U. B. 



MELIANTHUS {md, honey, and anthos, flower). 

 S(ii>iinliirfn-. Alxiut (i species of evergreen shrubs, 

 nutivs i.t Si.iiih Atri';i, (':(Ti lif m'liwn out-of-doors in 

 S.Ciilit. 1.: i re , ill, I, ■ (,<lor when bruised: 



Ivs. ,ilicni:i' , , ['li:', ■ Hhi |, innate ; Ifts. unequal- 

 siilrd. tn.iiliicl: lU. in :i\ill,irv ami terminal racemes, 

 secreting lioni-y i)lentifully ; calyx laterally compressed, 

 with or without a sac-like protuberance at the base, and 

 a nectar-bearing gland within; petals 5, the anterior one 

 abortive; stamens 4, didynamous. M. Himata\j(uins is 

 M. major, which has been introduced into S. Asia. 

 A C 1/ g bb at ba 



m4]or L nu St n fl x u glab on omet es 10 

 ft m e n h ght tl 11 i t 1 



y a foot o 



Tree 

 f uni 



th 



atta h d to the 1 



11 3-t 



I 1 b 1 at he apex 1 

 U 1 1 k nd sh n ng 





AA 



minor 



lat al t 

 ceme 

 obtu e at 

 Not B M 



b jiiga L nn 



1 1388 Lfts 

 1 t Ian eolat en 



pi ut p 1 k 



met m a t d 1 ke 



'1 atta n n (jO ft 



1388. Melicocca I 



near the battle-field of San Jacinto, Texas, but with no 

 record of its introduction there. If the flowers are not 

 cross-pollinated with the common sort, the percentage 

 of seedlings which reproduce the exact umbrella shape 



ap 



h W 



MEIILdTUS (r e k fo 7 /It ) L 

 gutnmdice. Sweet Clo\ er. Perhaps a dozen 

 species of annual or biennial tall-growing, 

 swic t-strnlliiii.' licrbs, widely distributed in 

 temperate an<l ^ul.tiM|n. ,il regions. Lvs. pinnately 3- 

 foliolate.tlii- li i -. t.milMMl and mostly narrow: fls. small, 

 white or ypili-w. in ■^Inn'iiT. long-stalked, axillary ra- 

 cemes; calyx teeth short and nearly equal; standard 



