MEL 



256 



MEL 



the latter, whose leaves yield a 

 volatile oil, called cajeput oil, 

 of a green colour, a very powerful 

 medicine ; the latter also named 

 M. minor, min'>6r (L. minor, 

 less). 



Melampyrum, n., mel'-dm-plr'-Um 

 (Gr. melampuron, cow-wheat 

 from melan, black \puros, wheat), 

 a genus of plants, (3rd. Scrophul- 

 ariaceee, one of whose species, 

 Melampyrum arvense, ar-vZns'e 

 (L. arvum, an arable field), 

 is called cow-wheat, as being 

 relished by cows. 



melancholia, n., mel'-an-lcol'i-a 

 (Gr. melangcholia, black bile 

 from melan, black; chole, bile), a 

 variety of insanity characterised 

 by dejection or depression of 

 spirits. 



melanosis, n., mel'dn-oz'-is (Gr. 

 melan, black), the deposition of 

 black or dark-brown colouring 

 matter in various textures and 

 organs of the body ; the disease, 

 melanotic cancer, in which 

 tumours containing black pig- 

 ment are developed : melanotic, 

 a., mel'dn-til'ik, of or pert, to 

 melanosis. 



Melanosporese, n. plu., mel'-an-o* 

 spdr'-Z-e (Gr. melan, black ; spora, 

 seed), a Sub-ord. of Algae of an 

 olive-green or olive-brown colour, 

 and cellulse of filamentous struct- 

 ure, found in the sea. 



MelanthacesB, n. plu., m^V-anth- 

 of-se-e (Gr. melan 9 black ; anthos, 

 a flower in allusion to the dusky 

 colour of the flowers), the Col- 

 chicum family, an Order of 

 bulbous, tuberous, or fibrous 

 rooted plants having medicinal 

 properties, and sometimes bearing 

 pretty flowers : Melanthium, n., 

 m%l-antli'4'tim, a genus of plants. 



melasma, n., mel-dz'-md (Gr. 

 melasma, a black spot), a black 

 spot on the lower extremities, 

 especially of old people ; a disease 

 in which is associated a peculiar 

 degeneration of the supra-renal 



capsules with extreme cachexia, 

 and a peculiar pigmentation or 

 bronzing of the skin ; also called 

 * Addison's disease. ' 



Melastomacese, n. plu., mel'ti' 

 8tom-d''se-e (Gr. melan, black ; 

 stoma, the mouth), an Order of 

 very beautiful trees, shrubs, and 

 herbs, many bearing sweet eatable 

 berries, so named from the fruit 

 of some dyeing the lips black : 

 Melastomeas, n., mel'-d-stom'-e-e, 

 a Sub-order: Melastoma, n., 

 mel-as'tdm^d, a genus of plants 

 having very showy flowers : Mel- 

 astoma elongata, e'long-gdt'-d 

 (L. elongatus, made long from 

 e, out ; longus, long), a species 

 bearing large, beautiful flowers, 

 varying from blue to purple and 

 white. 



MeliacesB, n. plu., mgl'i-d'se-e 

 (Gr. meiia, an ash tree), the 

 Melia family, an Order of plants 

 which are bitter, tonic, and 

 astringent : Melia, n., mel f -i?ti, 

 a genus of trees : Melia Indica 

 or Azadirachta, md'-ik'd or dz-dd'- 

 ir-dkt'd (L. Indica, of or from 

 India ; Indian name), used in 

 India as a febrifuge ; its fruit 

 yields an oil much in household 

 use, and as an antispasmodic ; 

 its bark is tonic : M. azedarach, 

 dZ'$d'dr-dk (an Indian name), 

 native of China, an anthelmintic. 



Melilotus, n., mel'tt-ot'-us (L. 

 mel, honey ; lotus, the lotus), the 

 honey lotus, a genus of plants, 

 Ord. Leguminosse, the favourite 

 haunts of bees ; the Melilot is 

 cultivated as fodder for cattle. 



Melissa, n., mel-is'sd (Gr. mel- 

 issa, a bee), a genus of plants, 

 Ord. Labiatae: Melissa officinalis, 

 ty-fis'-in'til'is (L. officinalis, 

 officinal from officina, a work- 

 shop), common balm. 



Melloca, n., m^l-lob'-a (unrs- 

 certained), a genus of plants, 

 Ord. Portulacacese : Melloca 

 tuberosa, tub f -$roz'-d (L. tuber- 

 osus, having fleshy knots from 



