COOK AND COLLINS——ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 191 
throughout the island.. It yields a valuable wood, and from the multiplicity of 
common names is evidently in use locally, though all the names are probably not 
confined in application to this species. Reported from near Adjuntas and Sierra 
de Naguabo. Differs from M. herbertii in having the leaves obtuse and the 
fruits very small, only half the size of the others. (Urban, Symb. 1: 513; 
Stahl 6: 48, as Atelandra obtusifolia.) 
Melocactus communis. MELON DE costa. 
Family Cactaceae; a fleshy plant 25 to 30 centimeters in diameter, found in dry 
places and cultivated. (Stahl, 4: 184.) 
Melochia hirsuta. BRETONICA PELUDA. 
Family Sterculiaceae; an herbaceous, erect, shrubby annual, densely covered 
with soft hairs. (Stahl. 2: 109.) 
Melochia nodiflora. BRETONICA PYRAMIDAL. BRETONICA PRIETA. 
A woody annual, 50 centimeters high, found in rocky places. (Stahl, 2: 110.) 
Melochia pyramidata. BRETONICA PYRAMIDAL. 
A woody herb, 50 centimeters high. in sandy and stony pastures along the 
south coast. (Stahl, 2: 107.) 
Melochia serrata. BRETONICA ASERRADA. 
- According to Grisebach a shrub about 2 feet high, covered with long, soft 
hairs. (Stahl, 2: 109.) 
Melochia tomentosa. BRETONICA AFELPADA. 
A shrub 1 meter high, in sandy coastal regions on the south side of the islands. 
(Stahl, 2 : 108.) 
Melon. See Cucumis melo. 
Melon de costa. See Melocactus communis. 
Melothria fluminensis. PEPINILLO. 
Family Cucurbitaceae; a climber 5 or 6 feet (1.5 to 1.9 meters) long, found in 
hedges and waste places. Fruit eaten, pickled when green; also good when fully 
ripe. (Stahl, 4: 177.) 
Mentha piperita. PEPPERMINT. 
A plant named by Briquet as variety citrata of this species was collected in the 
borders of primeval forests near Adjuntas. 
Mentrasto. See Ageratum conyzoides. 
Mentzelia aspera. PEGADORA. 
Family Loasaceae; a hairy herb with triangular dentate leaves and deep buff 
flowers. Our specimens were obtained to the southward of Coamo, not far from 
the military road. 
Mesosphaerum atrorubens. MaRrRUBIO OSCURO. 
Family Labiatae; an herbaceous annual, 40 centimeters high, in dry pastures. 
(Stahl, 4: 194, as Hyptis atrorubens.) 
Mesosphaerum capitatum. MaRRUBIO-BOTON. 
An herbaceous annual weed of the mint family. At Catafio it was called 
“blero.” (Stahl, 4: 192, as Hyptis capitata.) 
Mesosphaerum lantanaefolium. MAaRrRUBIO BLANCO. 
An herbaceous reclining annual. (Stahl, 6: 193, as Hyptis lantanaefolia. ) 
Mesosphaerum polystachyum. FaLso MARRUBIO. 
An herbaceous climber, 1 to 2 meters high. (Stahl, 6: 195, as Hyptis poly- 
stachya. ) 
Mesosphaerum spicigerum. MarRuBio. 
Reported by Bello. 
