1054 



MYRISTICA 



MYETUS 



anil Nutmeg :ire slmwii iu Fig. 14.')r;. For ii full illns- 

 tr:iU'(l ;iu(l historii-aJ iiccuunt of tbe Nutmeg, see B.M. 

 275U-7 (lb27). L. H. B. 



The Nutmeg tree requires a position m %\ ell-sheltered, 

 hot moist \ illcNs m the tropas truni si i-level up to 

 40U or jOO tctt It mil gi i\\ mil pi iiUu 1 fruit in .la- 





H52. Myristica fragrans — the Nutmec (X 34). 

 Tlif upper siir;t\"s urc fntin tln' st;Liiiin;ite tni'e. 



mai<-a up to 2,000 fi-et, but tbo fruit is not so abundnut 

 nor the nut so larg-e as at lower elevations. The soil 

 must be a deep, rich loam, well drained. The seedlin.i;s 

 have a tap-root which is very easily injured in trans- 

 planting'. The method usually adopted for growin/; 

 them is to sow the seeds in bamboo pots, one in eacli. 

 When they are ready for planting In their permanent 

 places, the baniV)oo is slit, and the soil, with the plant, 

 gently put into the prepared hole. It is only when they 

 first flower that it is possible to tell the ses of the tree. 

 Nothing is known of the conditions which determine 

 the sex. In Grenada, the usual proportion of male trees 

 to female is said to be as 3 to 1, thougli sometimes 40 or 

 TiO trees close together will all be either male or female. 

 As the trees generally fiower when they are 6 or 7 years 

 old, there is great waste in the growth of male trees. 

 In the Botanic Gardens in Jamaica, it has been found 

 possible to graft the Nutmeg, so that a loss of this kind 

 should not occur again; the plan is. take young see<l- 

 lings and graft, by approach, tlie thinnest twigs of a 

 female tree. -^r^r, Fawcett. 



M'4'RRHIS (from the Greek word for perfume). Uw- 

 hiH/ifi^nf. Mykrh. Sweet Cicely. One perennial herb 

 native to Europe, and an immigrant to otiier countries, 

 sometimes grown in gardens for its pleasing scent and 

 anciently used as a flavoring in salads. In America 

 Myrrhis is represented by Osmorhiza, which is known 

 as Sweet Cicely. Two or three of the American plants 

 liave been named under Myrrhis, but Coulter and Rose 

 (Revision N. Araer. Umbeliifera?, ]888) contrast the two 

 genera and refer these species to Osmorhiza. Technir;il 

 characters <listinguish the two genera. 



The Myrrh of the Arabs is theguni of Bolsaiiiodi'iul nm 



Afjfrrlia, a burseraceous tree which is now referred 

 (Engler in DC. Monogr. Phaner. 4) to Commiphora. 



odorata, Scop. Myrrh. Soft^hairyor pubescent, erect, 

 2-3 ft.: Ivs. thin and soft, 2-3-pinnate, with narrow- 

 toothed or pinnatifid segments: fls. small, whitish, in a 

 compound nmhel which is devoid of a general involucre : 

 fr. % in. long, longitudinally ribbed. Eu.— Herbage 

 sweet-scented. Rarely seen iu this country. L. H B 



MYRSINE (an old Greek name for the Myrtle, of no 

 application; the jMyrtle is Mi/rtus cottimtinis). Myisin- 

 (icece. About 80 widely scattered species of shrubs or 

 trees, of which M. floribinuJa has been offered in Fla.. 

 but is probably no longer cult. Glabrous or tomentosc: 

 Ivs. leathery, mostly entire: fls. small, sessile or pedun- 

 clod, in axillary clusters, polygamo-dicecious ; floral 

 parts in 4-.j's: fr. a pi-a-sliaped drupe, dry or fleshy, 

 1-stoned: seed globose. 



floribiinda, R.Br. {M. Hapanea, Roem. & Schult. 

 ,1. yiorUhlna, A. DC). Glabrous: Ivs. 3-4 in. long. 

 leathery, ol>ovate, rounded or notched at top, revolnte at 

 margin, rusty and dotted beneath, devoid of pellucid 

 dots: chisters of fls. peduncled : corolla imbricated. 

 S. Fla. to Uruguay. 



MYRSIPHtLLUM. Consult J .v/.r/rr/r/»,s. 



MYRTLE. Miirtiis communis. Crape M. Lnqrr- 

 sfrceniid. Running M. Vinca minor and others. Saud 

 M. Iji'ioplujllum . 



M'S'RTUS {MyrtoR, the ancient Greek name). Myrtii- 

 <:r(F. Myrtle. Mostly shrubs: Ivs, opposite, entire, 

 penni-veined, usually aromatic : fls. white or rose- 

 tinged, axillary, 1 to many, the central on short, lateral 

 or long pedicels ; c:ilyx tube turbinate, 5- (rarely 4-) 

 lobed, visually persistent; petals 5 (rarely 4); stamens 

 numerous, iu several rows, free: ovule 2-3-celled: fr. a 

 berry, adiu\te to, or included in the calyx-tube. A ge- 

 nus of perhaps 100 species, mostly subtropical natives 

 of S. America and Australia. 



Myrtles are grown in pots for ^eenhouse, window or 

 room decorations, ur, in Calif, and the South, as out- 

 door ornamental shrubs. They are easily cultivated ami 

 readily propagated from firm or partially ripened cut- 

 tings. They like an abundance of water in summer, and 

 should never be allowed to get quite dry at the roots. 



eommtlnis, Linn. The clas- 

 sic Myrtle. A handsome 

 shrub, .3-10 ft. high, both fls. 

 and Ivs. strongly scented: 

 Ivs. small in the variety 

 usually cultivated: pedun- 

 (des solitary, 1-fld., about 

 the length of the Ivs., be;n-- 

 ing 2 liiiear bractlets below 

 the fls. : berry black. July. 

 S. Eu. — Several varielies 

 are cult., which differ chiffly 

 in the shape and size of the 

 Ivs.; there is also a varie- 

 gated form. Makes a good 

 hedge in 8. Fla. Everbloom- 

 ing in S. Calif. 



Liima, V>Grrv(^o\\f\{ Eugenia 

 f)})icii/dfa, DC. A\ Lwna). 

 LuMA. Shrub, 3 ft. or high- 

 er: peduncles 3- to 5- 

 bra,n(dicd: fls. larger than 

 those of M. comniiDns. S, 

 Chile; hardy in S. Calif, and probably northward. 



iJgTli, Molina {Etighiift IJgni). Ugni or Chilean 

 GiiAVA. As usually seen under cult., this is a shrub 4 

 ft. high, but in its native habitat it is said to become a 

 tree 100 ft. high: pedicels 1-fld.: berry purple, glossy, 

 edible, with a pleasant odor and taste. Wood very hard 

 and heavy, much used in Chile for press-screws, wheel- 

 spokes and select implements. Chile; hardv in S. Calif. 

 B.M.4G26. R.H. 1879, p. 400. 



M. tomeiithsa, Soland.=Rhodomyrtns touicntosa. 



J. BuKTT Davy. 





1453. Nutmegs (X >;i). 



The upper speeimens show 

 the aril or mace. The lower 

 left specimen shows the nut 

 after the mace is removed. 

 The lower right specimen 

 shows part of the shell rt- 

 veil, disclosing: the niit- 

 mes- 



