M E 



M E 



cfperis. Plum. Nov. G n. Mentzelia 

 with rough Leaves and Fruit. 



The Name was given to this Plant 

 by Father Plumier, who discovered 

 it in the French Settlements in Ame- 

 rica, in Honour to Dr. Mentzclius, 

 who was Phyfician to the Elector of 

 Brandenburgh ; and who publihYd 

 an Index of Plants m Latin, Ortekj 

 and High- Dutch. 



This Plant grows plentifully in 

 the Ifland of Jamaica, from whence 

 the Seeds were fent to England by 

 the late Dr. William Hcujioun ; 

 which have fucceeded in thePhyik- 

 garden at Chelfca. 



It is an annual Plant, which pc:i- 

 fhes foon after the Seeds are ripe ; 

 therefore muft be fown on an Hot- 

 bed early in the Spring, that the 

 Plants may be brought forward ear- 

 ly in the Seafon ; otherwifc they 

 will not produce ripe Seed in this 

 Country. When the Plants are come 

 up about an Inch high, they mould 

 be each tranfplmted into a feparate 

 Halfpeny Pot filled with light rich 

 F.arth, and plunged into an Hot-bed 

 of Taaners Bark ; being careful to 

 fnade them from the Sun until they 

 have taken new Root ; after which 

 time they mult be conftantly water- 

 ed every other Day in warm Wea- 

 ther, and mould have frelh Air every 

 Day admitted to them, in propor- 

 tion to theWarmth of theSeafon,and 

 the Heat of thei>ed in which they 

 are plunged. In about fix Weeks 

 or two Months after transplanting, 

 if the Plants have made a good Pro- 

 grefs, they will have filled the Pots 

 with their Roots ; when they mould 

 be fhifted into larger Pots, which 

 null be filled with light rich Earth, 

 and then plunged into the Bark bed 

 in the' Stove, that they may have 

 room to grow in Height ; oblerving, 

 as before, to water tlumduly; as 

 alfo to admit frefli Air to them every 



Day in warm Weather : with this 

 Management the Plants will rife to 

 the Height of three Feet, and will 

 produce ripe Seeds the Latter-end of 

 Jugufi, or the Beginning of Septem- 

 ber. Thcfe Plants are clofely befet 

 all over with finall crooked Spines, 

 by which they will fallen themfelves 

 to whatever touches them fo ftrong- 

 ]y, that, by a Performs going near 

 them, they will flick to the Cloaths, 

 and the Branches of the Plant will 

 feparate, and adhere to them, in like 

 manner as the Seeds of Clivers or 

 Goofegrafs. 



MENYANTHES, is Trifolium 

 Paluftre, or Bogbean. 



This Plant is common upon bog- 

 gy Places in divers Parts of England; 

 but is never cultivated in Gardens ; 

 for which K.eafon I fliall not trouble 

 the Reader with any farther Account 

 of it, except the taking notice, that 

 this Plant is at prefen: in great 

 Eileem i being thought an excellent 

 Remedy for the Rheumatifm, Gout, 

 and many other Diforders. It is 

 frequently called Bogbane, orMarhV 

 trefoil, in the Markets: and grows 

 plentifully on Bogs in many Parts 

 of England, where it is gather 'd, and 

 brought to fupply the Markets. 



MERCUR1ALIS, Mercury. 

 The Characters are; 



The Leaves are crenated, and grew 

 by Pairs oppojite ; the Cup of the 

 Flower confijls of one Leaf which cxM 

 ppnds, and is cut into three Segments ; 

 thefe are Male and Female in defer- 

 ent Plants: the Flowers of the Male 

 grew in long Spikes, and ccnjijl cf 

 many Stamina and Apices, which are 

 loadtd with Farina: the 0<vary of 

 the Frtnal; Plant becomes a tejlicula- 

 ted Fruit, having a fingle round 

 Seed in each Cell. 



The Species are; 



I. MhRCUitiALis tcjliculata, five 

 mus Dio/condii & Pliniu C. B. P. 



The 



