Michauxia 



( 73) 



Microglossa 



MICHAUXIA (syii. Mixmoi). 



Ornamental biennial or perennial plants (ord. 

 Campaniilaceje), which are of good effect in the 

 mixed border. Propagated by seeds sown under 

 glass in sprint; and afterwards planted out in the 

 open, in any good garden soil. Tchihatcheffii is a 

 shy bloomer. 



Principal Species : 

 campauuluides, 4', Jy., sum., wh. (xyns. decaii- 



I'irn., wh. (xynx. iiova dra and dodecandra). 



and strigosa). Tdiihatcheffii, 6', sum., 



l;rvigata, 3' and upwards, wh. (syn. columnaris). 



MICHELIA. 



Stove or greenhouse evergreen trees or shrubs 

 {ord. Magnoliacese). The flowers are smaller than 

 those of Magnolias. Cuttings of semi-matured 

 shoots may be rooted in sand, in heat, under a 

 bell-glass. Sandy loam and leaf mould in equal 

 parts suit. 



Principal Species : - 



Champaca, 30' to 40', st., graut when the sun is 



yel., sweet scented by on the flowers (>yn. 



day, foetid by night. Magnolia fuscata). 



fuscata,2'to6',grh.,sum., lanugiuosa, 12', spr., st., 



pur., yel., more fra- pale yel. 



MICONIA. 



A large genus (ord. Melastomacea:) of stove 

 trees and shrubs. Many of them have handsome 

 foliage, but few are grown in this country. Cut- 

 tings may be rooted in brisk bottom heat,' in peat, 

 in a close propagating case, in spring. Soil, loam 

 and peat in equal parts, with plenty of sand and a 

 few pieces of charcoal. 



Principal Species : 



flammea, large, rugose, 

 glossy grn. Ivs., stem 

 hairy ; a good foliage 

 plant* 



hookeriana, olive grn. 

 Ivs., silvery mid-rib 

 (xyit. pulverulenta of 

 ISnliniii'iil MiKiazmo 

 Hll) (seep. 72). ' 

 Other Species : 



stiimmea, wh. (/. teys- 

 manniaua). 



teysmauniana (tee stam- 

 inea). 



trifasciata, Ivs. with 

 three silvery ribs, 

 flowers wh. 



maguih'ca, Ivs. large, ru- 

 gose, bronze grn., br., 

 ribs prominent, stem 

 hairy. This plant is at 

 its best when about H" 

 to '2' high. 



velutina, Ivs. dark grn. 

 and wh. above, pur. 

 beneath. A var. of 

 magnifiea, according to 

 Rodigas. 



MICRANTHUS. 



Greenhouse plants (ord. Iridese), with scaly 

 corms. They answer to the same treatment as the 

 Watsonias. The Micranthus of Wendland is a 

 synonym of Phaylopsis, and that of Loudon is 

 referred to Mucuna. 



Only Species : 

 tistulosus, Je., wh. (tyns. plantagineus, 6" to 12", 



Ixia and Watsouia fis- Je., wh. (ttyn, Wat- 



tulosa). sonia compacta and 



plantaginea). 



MICROCACHRYS. 



A greenhouse evergreen shrub (ord. Conifera), of 

 prostrate and moon-branched habit. It is endemic 



Michtiiucia (of Jfecker, see Mellmnia). 

 Micrandra (see Hevea}. 

 Micranthella (see Tibonchina). 

 Micranthera (see Toromita). 

 Mtcrantlnti (of Wendland, see Pkaylopsl*). 



to the Tasmania!! mountains, is rarely grown in 

 this country, although it is very pretty, and may 

 be treated as the Dacrydiums. 



Only Species : 

 tetragona. The female plants bear small bright-red 



cones. Strawberry fruited Cypress of Tasmania. 



MICROCOCCUS. 



A genus of microscopic Fungi belonging to 

 the Schizomycetes, or Fission Fungi. This group 

 has come into unenviable notoriety of late 

 years, as it has been proved that many diseases 

 which attack both plants and animals, including 

 man, are due to their influence. They are closely 

 allied to the Bacteria. Of the species which are 

 hurtful to plants, amylovorus is the cause of the 

 Pear Blight, and, so far, the only cure seems to be 

 the excision and destruction of the affected parts. 

 (For further particulars, see PEAR BLIGHT.) The 

 cells of Micrococcus are round or oval, and have 

 no powers of locomotion, as is the case witli the 

 Bacteria. They propagate by cell division. 



MICROCYCAS. 



The one species of Microcycas (ord. Cycadacese) 

 was until recently placed with the Zamias. It may 

 still be treated like them, only the name being 

 altered. 



Only Species : 

 calocoma, fronds 3' long, slightly hairy (syn. Zamia 



calocoma). 



MICRODON. 



An obscure genus of South African shrubs (ord. 

 Selaginea?) of no value to gardeners. Two or 

 three species have been introduced, but they are 

 very rarely, if ever, cultivated, and need scarcely 

 be described or treated culturally. 



MICROGASTER. 



Parasitic insects of the Braconida?, a section of 

 the Ichneumons. All of them are small, and 

 although often of bright colours black, red, or 

 yellow might easily be passed unnoticed. The 

 Microgasters are all parasitic upon the larvas of 

 butterflies and moths, and are thus friends, rather 

 than foes, to the gardener. The most useful species 

 is glomeratus, whose larvse prey upon the Cater- 

 pillars of the White Cabbage Butterfly. For a 

 long time the parasite does not seem to adversely 

 affect the health of its host, but the death of the 

 latter is the ultimate result. The larva of glomer- 

 atus is oval, yellow, and has a silky covering ; 

 these cocoons may often be seen in groups, 1" 

 across, covering the bodies of dead caterpillars. 

 The perfect insect is black, with yellow body and 

 legs, and four transparent wings. 



MICROGLOSSA (syn. FBIVALDIA). 



Six species of shrubs (ord. Composite), chiefly 

 from the warmer parts of Asia and Africa. Albes- 

 cens, probably the only species that has yet been 

 introduced, may be propagated by seeds or by root 

 division. It is hardy, and will do in almost any 

 soil. 



Principal Species : 



albescens, hdy., pale bl. or wh. (syiu. cabulica and 

 Aster albescens). 



Microchilns (see Physurui). 

 Mirnyenete* (nee Phacelia). 

 Miirufloniiim (see Tricliomanes). 

 Mii-rogramme (see Polyjiocliitm). 



