222 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



LEP 



Handsome dwarf-growing Californian an- 

 nuals. Some of the species make charming 

 bedding plants. When planted in masses 

 they form an entire sheet of pure white or 

 lilac flowers, not more than eight inches from 

 the surface of the soil. They succeed well in 

 the open border,and by successive sowings may 

 be had in flower the entire summer and au- 

 tumn. They are also well adapted for grow- 

 ing in pots to bloom in winter. This genus 

 is closely allied to Gilia, under which it is 

 placed by some authors. 



Leptospe'rmum. From Upton, slender, and 

 sperma, a seed ; seeds slender. A large genus 

 of shrubs or small trees belonging to the 

 Myrtacem, and nearly all confined to Australia 

 and Tasmania. The leaves are alternate, small, 

 leathery, and full of dots, or cells containing 

 oil ; their white flowers are borne on short 

 stalks, on the sides of the young branches, 

 either solitary or in little clusters. L. lani- 

 gerum, a native of Tasmania and south-eastern 

 Australia, is commonly called Tea tree, on ac- 

 count of its leaves having been used by the 

 early settlers in these countries, as a substi- 

 tute for tea. Propagated by cuttings of the 

 young shoots. 



Lepto'syne. From leptosin, slender; a name 

 applicable to the original species. Nat. Ord. 

 Compositce. 



A genus of annual, or perennial, herbaceous, 

 or suffruticose plants, with showy peduncu- 

 late heads the ray and disk being both 

 bright-yellow and pinnately divided or dis- 

 sected leaves. They have the habit of Core- 

 opsis, which they represent on the western 

 side of North America. L. Marilima, an 

 autumn blooming perennial, is cultivated 

 under the name of " Mid- Winter Sunflower." 



Lepto'tes. From leptos, slender; refei'ring to 

 the leaves. Nat. Ord. Orchidacem. 



A small genus of Brazilian Orchids. The 

 two species known, are pretty little epiphytes, 

 producing small, rush-like leaves and lovely 

 white flowers, having a blotch of bright crim- 

 son on the lip. Thej^ are of easy culture, 

 growing in the green-house, either on cork or 

 in baskets of moss, and requiring liberal wat- 

 ering during the growing season. They are 

 propagated by division ; introduced in 1831. 



Leptu'rus. A small genus of grasses but rarely 

 met; it is occasionally found inhabiting 

 marshy places on the sea-coast, where it fur- 

 nishes considerable pasture for cattle. 



Leschenau'ltia. Named after M. Leschenault, a 

 French botanist. Nat. Ord. Goodeniacece. 



A small genus of very ornamental heath- 

 like shrubs, with rich blue or scarlet 

 flowers, natives of Australia. They are 

 among the most beautiful and effective 

 green-house hard-wooded plants, and re- 

 quire the most cai-eful attention at all sea- 

 sons, particularly in regard to watering. L. 

 biloba major is perhaps the finest blue hard- 

 wooded shrub in cultivation, and L. formosa 

 with scarlet flowers, is an exceedingly hand- 

 some species. They are propagated "by cut- 

 tings of the moderately firm young shoots in 

 a little heat. 



Lespede'za. Named in honor of M. Lespedes, 

 once Governor of Florida, and a great patron 

 of botany. Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



LEU 



A genus of low-growing, pea-flowering 

 shrubs, annuals and herbaceous perennials, 

 common from South Carolina to Mississippi. 

 Some of the kinds are showy when in flower. 

 L. bicolor, introduced from Japan under the 

 name of Desmodium penduliflorum, is a hardy 

 deciduous shrub, blooming in the autumn, 

 and producing long, pendulous, branched 

 panicles of rich rosy-purple colored flowers. 

 If pruned close down to the ground every 

 spring it forms a neat, graceful bush, two to 

 three feet high, covered in autumn with blos- 

 som ; a splendid addition to any collection of 

 herbaceous plants. The species of most 

 value is L. striata, or Japan Clover, which 

 first appeared in 1849, near Charleston, S. C. 

 The seeds are supposed to have been brought 

 from Japan, or China, in some tea boxes. It 

 rapidly spread into Georgia, and in 1870 ap- 

 peared in Tennessee, and now spreads from 

 the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River. 

 It is a low perennial plant, with a spreading 

 habit, much like that of white clover. It 

 fiourishes on the poorest soils, preventing 

 washing by rains, furnishing not only good 

 grazing, but fertilizing the soil by the decay 

 of its stubble as clover does. For sheep pas- 

 ture, south of Virginia it is scarcely excelled 

 by any other forage plant. 



Lettuce. See Lactuca. 



Leucade'ndrou. From leukos, white, and den- 

 dron, a tree ; in allusion to the white leaves. 

 Nat. Ord. Proteacem. 



An extensive genus of green-house ever- 

 green shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 They are cultivated for their silvery foliage, 

 and their large terminal clusters of yellow 

 flowers, which are produced in June and July. 

 They all grow freely in a cool green-house, if 

 care be observed not to over-water in winter ; 

 in fact, they are at all times Impatient of 

 water. They are readily increased by cuttings 

 or ripened wood. L. argenteum is the Witte- 

 broom, or Silver Tree, of the Cape colonists. 

 It is a very handsome tree, too rarely seen in 

 cultivation. The beautiful silvery-white dried 

 leaves are imported, and largely used in the 

 manufacture of wreaths, etc. 



Leuca'nthemum. Ox-eye Daisy. From leukos, 

 white, and anthos, a flower; white flowers, 

 Nat. Ord. Compositce. 



This pernicious weed, L. vulgare, formerly 

 included in the genus Chrysanthemum (C. leu- 

 canthemum), is a native of Great Britain, but 

 has become thoroughly naturalized in many 

 parts of the United States. It is a perennial, 

 and increases rapidly from seed, or from the 

 roots. L. alpinum is rather a quaint, pretty, 

 very dwarf plant, with white, daisy-like flow- 

 ers, and well deserves cultivation on i*ock- 

 work in poor, gravelly soil. It is sometimes 

 known as Chrysanthemum articum and Pyreth- 

 rum alpinum. 



Leucoco'ryne. From leukor, white, and koryne, 

 a club ; because of the white sterile anthers. 

 Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



Half-hardy bulbous plants, pretty, and de- 

 serving attention. They may be cultivated 

 either in pots or in the open ground, if they 

 are taken up and preserved in sand through 

 the winter. The flowers are large for the size 

 of the plant, and are either white or lilac. 

 They are increased by offsets, and when 



