Mespilus 



( 71 



Metrosideros 



pyropeum, the correct 

 name, according to 

 some authorities, of tri- 

 color. 



spectabile, 1', My., red. 



tigriuum, 4", Aug., yel. 

 (we p. 70). 



tricolorum, 6", My., ann., 

 pk. (si/n. tricolor of 

 Willdeuow, see figure). 



album, wh. 



cordil'olium, My., ann., 

 pk. ; trailer. 



- variegatum, a fine 

 plant for bedding. 



crystalliuum, My., wh. ; 

 trailer. Ice Plant. 



densum, Je., pk. ; trailer. 



edule, li", Jy., yel. Hot- 

 tentot Fig. 



floribundura, 6", My., 

 pale red. 



fonnosum, 1', Aug., pur. 



Other Species : 



adscendens, 3', Aug., yel. falciforme, H', Jy.,pk. 

 aequilaterale, 9", sum., gemiuiflorum, l',My., pk. 



wh., pur. (.S//H. Rossii). --- .1 -i n' T_ ..i. 

 agnimmi, 3', Sly., yel. 

 albidum, 6", Jy., yel. 

 albinotum, 2", Sep., yel. 

 aurantiacum, 1-J', Je., or. 

 aureum, 1', Mcli., or. 

 australe, 6", Jy., pk. 

 barbatum, 9", Jy., pk. 



Bolusii, yel., red. 

 Brownii, 1', Jy., pur., 



yel. (xyn. micans of 



gardens). 



caulesceus, H', My., red. 

 Cooperi, 3", sum., "pur. 

 crudatum, 3", Je., yel. 

 curium, 1', Je., wh. 

 curvirlorum, 'i' , Je., wh., 



ro. (ay H. curvifolium). 

 deltoides, H', My., pk. 

 diversifolium, 1', My., yel. 

 echmatum, t>", Aug., yel. 

 elegans, My., pur. 



iuclaudens, K', Je., pk. 

 Imguiforme, 6",Jy.,yel. 

 lupinum, 2' , Jy., yel. 

 micans, 2{', Jy., sc. 

 luiuutum, 4", Oct., pk. 



(.<>/>/. nuciforme). 

 multiflorum, 2', Jy., wh. 



K..I IM i m.i. . , t/j.,|jn. obcordellum, K', Je., wh. 



blandum, 1', Je., wh., ro. polyanthou, 2', Jy., pk. 



(xi/ti. imbricans). 

 pomeridianum, 1', Aug., 



ami., yel. 

 pugiouifonne, 1', Aug., 



yel. 



rostratum, 3", Ap., yel. 

 serrulatum, 6", Xov., pk. 

 striatum, 10", My., red. 

 sulcatum, 2', Aug., wh. 

 teuuifoh'um, 1', Je., red. 

 uncatum, 3", Aug., yel., 



red. 

 uucinatum, 2', Aug.,hdy., 



red. 

 violaceuni, 2', Jy., pur. 



MESPILUS. (MEDLAH.) 



The Mespiluses, which are hardy deciduous trees, 

 now referred to Pyrus (ord. Rosaceaj), are best 

 known by the common Medlar, germanica, from its 

 edible fruits, which, when in a partial state of de- 

 cay or " bletted," are sometimes eaten with sugar. 

 They are propagated by seeds, budding, or graft- 

 ing, and grow best in a rather moist loam. See 

 also Medlar. 



Principal Species : 



germanica, 10' to 20', My. 

 wh. (SI/HS. domestica 

 and Tulgaris, correctly 

 Pyrus germanica). 



Common Medlar. 



MESUA. 



Stove evergreen shrubs and trees (ord. Gut- 

 tiferae) with large, solitary, axillary flowers. Prop- 

 agation, by cuttings of the half-ripened shoots, in 

 sand, in bottom heat, in May, and by seeds in 

 March and April. Soil, loam and peat in equal 

 parts, with sand. The timber of ferrea is very 

 hard and close-grained. 



Principal Species : 



ferrea, 40', Jy., Aug., wh., fragrant. 



METALASIA. 



Small, erect-growing, greenhouse shrubs (ord. 

 Composite), confined to South Africa. They are 

 of no value, and although a few species have, from 

 time to time, been introduced, they are probably 

 all out of cultivation. 



Metacliilum (see Appendicula). 



Smithii, 20', My., wh. 

 (y. M. grandiflora, 

 correctly Pyrus lobata). 



METRODOREA. 



The only species of Metrodorea (ord. Rutaceae) 

 is a stove shrub, propagated by cuttings in heat, 

 and thriving in a compost of equal parts of loam 

 and sandy peat. It is of no decorative worth, and 

 even its name scarcely belongs to it, for, according 

 to Bentham and Hooker and the Index Kewems'is, 

 atropurpurea should be Esenbeckia nigra. 



Only Species : 



atropurpurea, 5' , st., pur. (correctly Esenbeckia 

 nigra). 



METROSIDEROS. (IBONWOOD, BOTTLE 

 BRUSH.) 



Description. Usually showy greenhouse ever- 

 green shrubs or trees, with dense inflorescences. 

 Scandeus is suitable for greenhouse walls in this 

 country. The New Zealand robusta attains a great 

 height in its native habitat, and an interesting ac- 

 count of its mode of growth as an epiphyte is given 

 by Mr. James H. Veitch in his " Traveller's Notes." 



Propagation. By seeds, or by cuttings of small 

 side shoots under a bell-glass in a cool, close pit 

 or frame in spring. 



Soil. Good loam and peat in equal parts, with 

 some silver sand and small pieces of broken pots. 



MESEMBKYANTHBMUM TRICOLORUM. 



Other Cultural Points. A winter temperature 

 of from 35" to 45 is the most suitable ; they must 

 not be kept close in summer, but have the wood 

 thoroughly ripened. 



Principal Species : 

 angustifolia, 20', yel. 

 noribunda (now Callis- 



temoii salignus). 



It grows to 12' or more 

 on stems of Dicksonia 



robusta, ,V, My., red 



(ni/ti. florida). 

 scandens, 5', Aug., wh. 



squarrosa. 



tomentosa, 30', Jy., crim. 

 vera, 20', Ap., yel., grn. 



Metaxya (see Cyathea). 

 Metltonica (see GloriosaY 



