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india-rubber. There are twenty-ttvo ge- 

 nera, and about 200 species. [J. H. B.] 



MORA. The Mora of Guiana, M. excelsa, 

 a gigantic timber tree, forms a genus of 

 LeffuminoscBj of the tribe Ccesalpiniece. Ex- 

 tensive forests of it exist in British 

 Guiana and the island of Trinidad, it being 

 one of those trees which grow together in 

 large masses to the exclusion of every 

 other kind. It grows from a hundred and 

 thirty to a hundred and fifty feet high ; and 

 as the trunks are branchless to near the 

 top, loss three or four feet square and near- 

 ly a hundred feet long are obtainable exclu- 

 sive of sap-wood. Its wood is exceedingly 

 tough and close-grained, and, under the 

 name of Mora timber, is now imported into 

 this country in considerable quantities for 

 the use of our ship-builders, it being one of 

 the few timbers admitted into Lloyd's list 

 of ship-building woods. One of its most 

 valuable properties is its non-liability to 

 splinter, even rivalling oak in this respect, 

 being, in fact, one of the toughest woods 

 known. The Mora tree has large pinnate 

 leaves, and small flowers in dense com- 

 pouud spikes about eight or ten inches 

 long. These have a bell-shaped calyx, five 

 or six equal petals, and ten or twelve long 

 stamens, every alternate one of which is 

 sterile ; these are followed by hard woody 

 pods, containing a solitary large kidney- 

 shaped seed. The bark of the Mora is 

 astringent and usefulfor tanning, although 

 it does not contain sufficient tannin to en- 

 ableit to be substituted for oak bark ; and 

 the seeds are used by the Indians as food in 

 seasons of scarcity. [A. S.] 



MOR-EA. A numerous South African 

 genus of Iridacece, closely related to Iris 

 itself, and containing many species with 

 very brilliant sweet-scented flowers. All 

 its species have two-ranked sword-shaped 

 leaves, and their flower-stalks have long 

 slightly overlapping spathes. The peri- 

 anth has three broad spreading or reflexed 

 outer segments, and three narrower inner 

 ones. The three stamens are distinct ; the 

 style slender, and bearing three petal-like 

 bifid or rarely multifid stigmas opposite 

 the stamens. [A. S.] 



MORASS-WEED. Ceratophyllum demer- 

 j sum. 



I MOR.CHELLA. A genus of ascomy- 

 cetous Fungi, distinguished by a deeply 

 pitted naked head supported on a pedun- 

 cle. The depressions are sometimes re- 

 gular, but occasionally they assume the 

 appearance of mere furrows with wrinkle- 

 like interstices. The common Morel is a 

 familiar example. The genus occurs both 

 in the north and south hemispheres, but 

 does not seem to like a very hot climate. 

 The fructification is very like that of 

 Helvella. [M. J. B.] 



MOREE DEMI-DEUIL. (Fr.) Morcea lu- 

 geris. — EXGAINEE. Morcea Northiana. 



MOREL. The common name of Mor- 

 chella esculenta, which, under a variety of 

 forms, occurs in various parts of the world. 



I It is occasionally plentiful in this country, 

 I but the greater part of what is sold by the 

 j oilmen comes from Germany. A large 

 | quantity is collected in Kashmir. As it 

 dries very readily, and may be kept for some 

 j time, it is much used by cooks to flavour 

 gravies. It is also dressed in various ways 

 when fresh, and makes an excellent dish 

 if stuffed with finely minced white meat. 

 When plentiful it may be advantageously 

 employed instead of mushrooms to make 

 ketchup. Morels are particularly fond of 



Morchella esculenta. 



burnt soil, and the collection of them is 

 so profitable to the peasants in Germany, 

 ;hat they were formerly in the habit of 

 setting fire to the woods to encourage their 

 growth, till the practice was made punish- 

 able by a special law. M. semiliberamay be 

 known from the common Morel by the 

 border being quite free for some distance. 

 It has a bad reputation, and requires, there- 

 fore, some caution in its use. [M. J. B.] 



MOREL, GREAT. Atropa Belladonna. 

 — , PETTY. Solarium nigrum. 

 MORELLA. A variety of cherry. 



MORELLE. (Fr.1 Solarium. — AGRAP- 

 PES, or GRANDE DES INDES. Phytolacca. 



MORENE. (Fr.) Hydrocharis. 



MORENIA. A genus of palms confined 

 to the mountains of Peru, allied to Hyo- 

 phorbe and Kunthia, and composed of two 

 species, M. fragrans and M. Poppigiava, 

 both of which have a thin unarmed reed- 

 like trunk, terminal pinnatisect leaves, 

 dioecious white or yellow flowers and a one- 

 seeded berry. [B. S.] 



MORETTIA. A genus of Cruciferce, con- 

 taining an Egyptian herb, with grey stel- 

 lately pubescent obovate leaves, and erect 

 racemes, the pedicels with leaf-like bracts 

 at the base exceeding the flowers; pouch 

 dehiscent, oblong, slightly compressed, 

 with an oblong partition and short style; 

 valves concave, produced within into a 

 small partition separating the seeds, which 

 are round. [J. T. S.] 



MORGALLE. African hemp, the fibre of 

 Sanseviera guineensis. 



MORGELINE. Veronica hederacea. 



