MED 



[526 ] 



MEL 



MEDTJSA'S-HEAD. IZitpho'rbia ca'put 



MEGACLI'NIUH, (From megas, large, 

 and kline, a bed ; referring to tlie axis, or 

 rachis, on which the flowers are borne. 

 Nat. ord., Orchids [OrchidaceeeJ. Linn., 

 2Q-Gynandria \-Monandria. Allied to 

 (jirrhopetalum . ) 



Stove orchids, from Sierra Leone. Division of 

 the plant in sprin? ; shallow baskets in sphagmim, 

 rotten wood, charcoal, and fibry peat. Winter 

 temp., 60; summer, o'0 to 90. 

 M.falca'tum (sickle-shaped). 1. Yellow, red. 



March. 18-24. 

 -- rnu'jus (large). Yellow, red. March. 1 833. 



ma'zimum (largest). 1. Yellow, preen. 1836. 



veluti'num (velvety). Purple. Yellow. 1845. 



MELALEU'CA. (From melas, black, aud 

 leu/cos, white ; referring to the colours of 

 the old and young bark. Nat. ord., 

 Myrtleblooms [Myrtacese]. Linn., 18- 

 Polyadelphia %-Polyandria.) 



Evergreen shrubs, from New Holland, except 

 where otherwise mentioned. Cuttings of the 

 shoots in May, as they are getting firm at their 

 base, and not more than three inches in length, in 

 sand, under a bell-glass ; peat and loam, most of 

 the latter, with a fair portion of sand, and nodules 

 of charcoal. Winter temp., 38 to 45. Many 

 are about as hardy as a myrtle, and will stand 

 against a conservative wull with a little protection. 



STOVE EVERGREENS. 



M. leucade'ndron (white Cajeput-tree). 15. White. 

 E. Ind. 1/96. 



mi' nor (smaller Cujeput). White. E.Ind. 1800. 



GREENHOUSE EVERGREENS. 

 M. acero'sa (sharp-pointed). Purple. June. 



cullistemu'nea (beautiful-staraened). Purple, 



rose. June. 



calyci'na (Jr#e-calyxed). 3. Purple. July. 



N- Amer. 1803. 



decussa'ta (decussate-teawetf). 4. Lilac, Au- 



gust. 1803. 



de'nsa (thickly-/ertt>^). 2. Purple. 1803. 



diosmeefo'lia (diosma-leaved). 4. Reddish. 



June. 1794- 



dumo'sa (bushy). 2. 



erube'scens(h\ui>h\ng-stamened). Yellow. June. 



fu'lgens (splendid). 6. Scarlet. August. 1803. 



genistifo'lia (broom-leaved). 4. lied. 1/93. 



gra'ndis (grand). 4. 



Huge'lii ( Hugel's). 1832. 



hj/pericifu'lia (St. John's-wort-leaved). 3. 



Scarlet. July. 1/92. 



inca'na (hoary). 3. Yellow. July. 1817. 



juniperoi'des (juniper-like). 3. Stripei. June. 



1830. 



lanceola'ta (spear-head-teored). 4. Ju> 1817. 



pa/udo'sa (marsh). 6. Red. August. 1803. 



pulche'lla(n?*.t). 2. Purple. July. 18*3. 



ru'dula (file-like). Pink. May. 



sca'bra (rough-leaved). 3. Purple. May. 1803. 



seria'ta (row-ranged). Rose. June. 



spino'sn (spiny). Yellow. June. 



squn'mea((. \\y-catyxed). 4. Lilac- June. 1805. 



squarro'sa (spreau)ug). 2. White. 1794. 



stria'ta (chaimelled-/eaed). 4. Purple. June. 



1803. 



styphetoi'des (styphelia - like), 4. White. 



June. I7y3 



M. tetragn'na (four-angled). 4. 1820. 



thymifo'Hu (thyme-leaved). 2. Purple. Augurt, 



1792. 



trichophy'tla (hair-leaved). Pink. May. 



trine'rniii (three-nerved). 3. 1816. 



virgu'ia (twiggy). 2. 1818. 



MELANORRH/E'A. (From melas, black, 

 and r!tco, to flow ; referring to the juice 

 becoming black varnish. Nat. ord., 

 Anacards [Anacavdiaeeae]. Linn., 23- 

 Polygaania 2-Dicscia.} 



The black poisonous varnish of Martaban is the 

 produce of this tree, the Theet-see, or Kheu of 

 India. Stove evergreen tree. Cuttings of ripe 

 shoots, with the leaves on, in sand, under a glass, 

 and in heat; peat and loam. Winter temp., 55 

 to 60 ; summer, 60 to 85. 



M. usiUi'l/miima ur.ost iuck.1. Black Varnish- tree), 

 loo. lied. E. Ind. 1829. 



MELA'NTHIUM. (From melas, black, 

 and anthos, a flower ; referring to .the 

 dusky blossoms. Nat. ord., Mclanths 

 [Melatithacese]. Linn., G-Hexandria 3- 

 Trigynia. Allied to Veratrum.) 



The Melanths are ali more or less poisonous. 

 Half-hardy bulbs, requi -ing tiie greenhouse or cold 

 pit in winter, or the ouii>s to be kept dry and at 

 rest; propagated by offsets and seeds; sandy 

 loam and peat. 



M. Cape' use (Cape), f . Yellow. May. Cape 

 of Good Hope. 1768. 



cilla'ta (hair-fringed). . Pale yellow. June. 



Cape of Good Hope. ISlO. 



grami'neum (grassy). 1. White. May. 



Madagore. 1823. 



ju'nceum (rush-termed) . . Pink. Septem- 



ber. Cape of Good Hope. 1780. 

 - phalangioi'des (phalangium-like). I. W r hite. 

 June. Carolina. 1810. 



secu'ndum (side-flowering). 1. White. Sep- 



tember. Cape of Good Hope. 1810. 



Si'n'ricum (Siberian). 1. Siberia. 1823. 



trique'trurn (three-sided). White, purple. 



April. N. Amer. 1847. 



uniflo'rum (one-flowered). |. White, yellow. 



June. Cape of Good Hope. 1787. 



MELA'STOMA. (From melas, black, and 

 stoma, a mouth ; the eatable berries 

 stain the mouth a dark purple. Nat. ord., 

 Melastomads [Melastomaceaa]. Linn., 

 I0-Decandria 1-Monogynia. Allied to 

 Osbeckia.) 



Stove evergreens. Cuttings of the shoots in 

 sandy peat, under a bell-glass, in heat; peat and 

 loam, sandy and lumpy. Winter temp., 45 to 

 60 ; summer, 60 to 85. 

 M. affi'nis (related). 4. Purple. E.Ind. 1810. 



Afzeliu'na(A.faQliu.&'s). 1^. Red. Sierra Leone 



1824. 



a'spera (rough). 6. Purple. June. E. Ind. 1815. 



Ba'-nlisii (Sir J. Bank>'). l. White. Sep- 



tember. N. Holland. 1824. 



ca'ndida (white). 4. Purple. China. 1824. 



corymbv'sa (corymbed). 2. Purple. June. 



Sierra Leone. 1/92. 



cymo'sa (cymed). 2. Purple. June. S. 



Amer. 1792. 



ecosta'ta (ribless). 4. Purple. July. Ja- 



maica. 1/93. 



