MEN MEN 
MER MES 
Mentha, Linn. The poets celebrate Minthe, a 
daughter of Cocytus, as being turned into mint by 
Proserpine in a fit of jealousy. Linn. 14, Or. 1, 
Nat. Or. Labiat/e. The Mint is a well-known 
genus of useful herbs, with the culture and propa- 
gation of which every one is familiar. Synonymes : 
1. M. pyramidalis. 2. M. crispa. 3. M. hirsuta, 
M. nepetoides. 4. M. paludosa, M. palustris. 5. JJf. 
rivalis. 6. M. agrestis. 7. M. pnecox. 8. M. 
gentilis. 9. M. Badensis. 10. M. rubra. 11. M. 
acutifoHa, M. saliva. 12. M. austriaca. 13. M. bo- 
realis. 14. M. odorafa. 15. M. gracilis. 16. M. 
macrostachya, M. rugosa. 17- M. capensis. 18. M. 
hirta. 19. M. undulata. 20. M. canescens. 21. M. 
nemorosa, M. Niliaca. 22. M. gratissima. 23. 31. 
brevispicata, 31. laevigata. 24. 31. crispata. 
aquatica, 1 . . Pur. red . 8, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
crispa, 2 . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Siberia . .1640 
hirsuta, 3 . . Purple . 8, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
suhspicata, 4 . Purple . 8, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
ar van sis, 5 . . . Purplish . 8, H. Her. P. Britain'. . 
agrestis, 6 . . Purple . 6, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
glabra, 7 • • Purple . 6, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
gfrAcilis, 8 . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Britain . , 
nitida, 9 . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
rubra, 10 . . Purple . 9, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
sativa, 11 . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. England . 
vulgaris, 12 . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Germany . 
auricuiaria. . .Purple . 7, H.-Her. P. E. Ind. . .1796 
balsamCa . . . Purple . 7» H. Her. P. Italy . . 1804 
blaiida . . . .White. . 9, H. Her. P. Nepal . .1824 
canadensis . . . Purple . 8, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1800 
glabiata, 13 . Purple . 7. H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1800 
citrata, 14 . . . Red pur. . 7, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
coccinea . . . Scarlet . 7, H. Her. P. E. Ind. . . 1823 
dentata .... Purple . 7» H. Her. P. Germany . 1816 
divaricata . . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Spain . . 1824 
glabrata . . . Purple . 7> H. Her. P. Egypt . . 1802 
incana .... Purple . 7. H. Her. P. Greece . . 1790 
lavandiilacgS . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Spain . .1823 
piperita .... Purple . 8, H. Her. P. England 
pratensis, 15 . . Purple . ^ H. Her. P. England . 
pubescens . . . Purple . 7 j H* Her. P. 
Pulegium . . . Pa. pur. . 8, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
Requiem . . . Lilac . . 8, H. Her. P. Corsica . . 1829 
rotundifdlia, 16 . Whitish . 8, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
salicina, 17 . . H. H jr. P. C. G. H. . 
suavis, 18 . . . Red . . 7, H. Her. P. S. France . 
sylvestris . . . Purplish . 7, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
crispa, 19 . . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. . 1816 
mollissima, 20 . Purple . 7> H. Her, P. Spain . . 1800 
nemorosa, 21 . Purple . 7, H, Her. P. 
vulgaris, 22 . Purple . 7, H. Her. P. Germany . 1799 
tgniiis .... Purple . 7, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 
villosa .... Purple . 9, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
viridis 23 . . . Purple . 8. H. Her. P. Britain . . 
crispn, 24 . . Purple . 7. H. Her. P. . 1807 
Mentzelia, Linn. In honour of C. Mentzel, a bota- 
nical author of Brandenburg. Linn. 12, Or. 1, 
Nat. Or. Loasacex. These curious plants grow 
freely in a mixture of sandy loam and peat ; and 
cuttings root freely in sand, under a glass, in heat. 
*sp#r4 .... Yellow . 7. F. A. America . 1733 
hispida .... Yellow . -4,8. Her. P. Peru . . 1831 
oligospermS • • Yellow . 5, G. Her. P. Louisiana . 1812 
stipitata . . .Yellow . 10,H. Her. P. Mexico. . 1835 
MenyXnthes, Linn, From men, a month, and anthos, 
a flower; alluding to the duration of the flowers. 
Linn- b, Or. 1, Nat. Or. Gentianacere. Plants of the 
simplest culture. 31. trifoliata is bitter, tonic, and 
febrifugal. Synonyms : 1. 31. americana. 
trifoliata . . .'White. . 7, H. Aq. P. Britain . . 
americana, 1 . Pa. red . 7» H. Aq. P. N. Amer. . 1818 
Menziesia, Smith. In honour of Archibald Menzies, 
F.L.S., &c., surgeon and naturalist to the expedi- 
tion under Vancouver ; he collected many specimens 
of plants on the North-west coast of America, New 
Holland, Van Diemen’s Land, &c. Linn. 8, Or. 1, 
Nat. Or. Ericaceae. A very ornamental genus of 
plants; for culture and propagation, see Azalea. 
Synonyme: 1. Erica Daboeci. 
ferrugjnaa . . . Brown . 6, H. De. S. N. Amer. . 1811 
globularis . . . Brown . 5, H. De. S. N. Amer. . 1806 
polifOlia, 1 . . . Purple . 7, H. Ev. S. Ireland . . 
atro-purptirga . Drk. pur. . H. Ev. J5. 
florg-albd . . ^Vhite . . 6, H. Ev. S. Ireland . . 
latifdlia . . . Purple . 7, H. Ev. S. 
longifdlia . . Purple . 7i H. Ev. S. 
ngna .... Purple . 7, H. Ev. S. Ireland . . 
pallida ... Purple . 7t H. Ev. S. Britain . . 
Menziesia, see PhylldddcS. 
1 203 ] 
MERCcKfALis, Linn. After Mercury, who is said to 
have first discovered the plant. Linn. 22, Or. 8, 
Nat. Or. Euphorbiaceae. Weeds of the simplest 
culture. The juice of 31. perennis is emetic, while 
the seed is purgative, and highly dangerous — 
amhigiid, dnn&d, elliptica, perSnnis, tomentOsd 
Merendera, Ramond. A name given to Colchicum 
by the Spaniards, and applied to this genus because 
of its affinity. Linn. 6, Or. 3, Nat. Or. Melanthaceae. 
This species thrives well in a light loamy soil, and 
is readily increased by seeds, or offsets from the 
bulbs. Synonymes : 1. Bulbocodium trigynum, Col- 
chicum caucasicum. 
caucasica, 1 . . Purple . 8, H. Bl. P. Caucasus . 1823 
Meriania. In honour of Maria Sybylla INIerian, 
authoress of a work on insects. Linn. 10, Or. 1, 
Nat. Or. Melastomacex. This is a genus of very 
beautiful stove plants, which grow freely in sandy 
peat mixed with a little loam ; and cuttings of 
the half-ripened wood root freely in sand, under 
a glass, in heat. 
leucanthS . . . 'Wliite . . S. Ev. S. Jamaica . 1825 
purpurei . . . Purple . S. Ev. S. Jamaica . 1825 
MerIsma, Fries. From merismos, a division ; because 
. of the branched habit. Linn. 24, Or. 9, Nat. Or. 
Fungi. These plants are found in woods and damp 
places — cristdtd, foetida- anthocSphala , tuberOsli. 
MertensIa, Willdenorv. In honour of F. C. Mertens, 
professor of medicine at Bremen. Linn. 23, Or. 1, 
Nat. Or. Urticaceae. All the species of this genus 
are highly esteemed by the lovers of border plants 
for the btilliant colour of their blossoms. 31. mari- 
tima and parvijlora require to be grown in pots, 
in very sandy peat. The other species will grow 
in common garden soil, though they succeed much 
better when kept in a peat border ; increased by 
divisions. Synonymes: 1. Pulmonaria dahurica. 
2. P. denticulata. 3. P. lanceolata. 4. P. maritima. 
5. P. paniculata. 6. P. parvijlora. 7- P, virginica. 
8. P. sibirica. 
dahurica, 1 . . Blue . . 5, H. Her P. Dahuria . 1812 
denticulata, 2 . . Blue . . 6, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1800 
marginatS, 3 . . Blue . . 6, H. Her. P. Louisiana . 1813 
maritima, 4 . . Blue . . 7, H. Her. P. Britain . . 
paniculata, 5 . . Blue . . 6, H. Her. P. Hud.’s Bay 1778 
parvitiora, 6 . . Blue . . 7, H. Her. P. Canada . .1827 
pulmonarioidea, 7 Blue . . 4, H. Her. P. N. Amer. . 1699 
sibirica, 8 . . . Blue . . 6, H. Her. P. Siberia . . 1801 
MerOlius, Haller. From meta, a pillar ; because of 
the resemblance in the original fungus metulius. 
Linn. 24, Or. 9, Nat. Or. Fungi. This is one of the 
most important of parasitical fungi, being what is 
called the dry rot, so well known as the pest of 
wooden constructions — aurantidcds, Idchrymdns-ob- 
liqutis, tremellOsus. 
Mksembryanthemum, Linn. From mesembria, mid- 
day, and anthemon, a flower. Linn. 12, Or. 2, Nat. 
Or. Ficoideae. This beautiful and well-known 
genus of succulents is very easily cultivated. If 
they are intended to remain in pots, a light sandy 
loam will suit them best ; but if they are planted 
out in a dry hot border, they will flower more pro- 
fusely. Many of the kinds are very beautiful 
objects for the flower-garden; for this purpose, 
cuttings should be struck in the autumn, and 
allowed to remain in the store-pots all winter. 
A dry pit or frame, where frost is excluded, is 
sufficient for their protection in winter. Cuttings 
of the most succulent kinds should be allowed to 
dry a little after planting before water is given, 
after which they root readily. 31. edule is the 
Hottentot-fig, the leaves of which are eaten. M. 
nodijlorum is used in making Maroquin leather. 
Synonymes: 1. 3A. stellatum. 2. 31. Candollei. 3. 
M. purpureo croeeum. 4. 31. dimidiatum. 5. 31. 
parviflorum. 6. 31. magnipunctatum.7. 31. micran- 
thum. 8. 31. canescens. 9. 31. hirsutum. 10. 31. 
hispidum. 
abbreviatum . . G. Ev. Tr. N. HolL . 1825 
acinaeiformS . . Pink . . G. Ev. Tr. C. G. H. . 1714 
Ibngum . . . Pink . . 8, G. Ev. Tr. C. G. H. . 
acuminStum . . White . 8, G. Ev. S. C. G. H. . 1820 
acutangulum . . W’hite . G. Ev. S. C. G. H. • 1821 
acutum. . . . Red . . 7, G. Her. P. C. G. H. .1793 
adscendens . . . Yellow . 9, G. Her. P. C. G. H. . 1805 
aduncum . . . Pink . . 2, G. Ev. S. C. G. H. . 1795 
aequilater&ld . . Pink . . 6, G. Ev. Tr. N. Holl. . 1791 
agninum . . . Yellow . 6, G. Her. P. C. G. H. . 1824 
