232 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



LOL 



L. procumbent, the only species, is a trail- 

 ing evergreen shrub with small elliptical 

 leaves, and terminal clusters of small rose- 

 colored or white flowers. It is found on the 

 summits of the White Mountains in New 

 Hampshire, in the most rocky situations. 

 Lo'lium. Rye Grass. The old Latin name 

 used by Virgil and Pliny. Nat. Ord. G-ramin- 

 acecB. 



A widely distributed genus of grasses, the 

 most important of which, in agricultural 

 economy, is L. perenne, commonly called Rye- 

 grass, which has had the reputation in Great 

 Britain, for many years, of being one of the 

 most important and valuable of the cultivated 

 grasses. The leaves are generally abundant 

 and luxuriant on rich moist soil, but on 

 poorer, light and gravelly soils they are 

 often so scanty as to render the grass of little 

 value either for hay or pasturage. This differ- 

 ence of development in various situations, 

 will, in a great degree, account for the differ- 

 ence of opinion that exists in regard to the 

 value of this grass for agricultural purposes. 



L. Italicum. Italian Rye Grass, a variety of 

 the above is considered in England one of 

 their best grasses to cut for soiling, as it 

 affords a large and nutritive crop. 



L. temiilentum. Darnel, is an annual grass 

 closely allied to the Rye-grass, and is remark- 

 able as the only species of the family known 

 to possess poisonous properties. It is a com- 

 mon weed among other grains, especially 

 wheat, throwing up a stem two or three feet 

 high, bearing a spike somewhat resembling 

 that of the other species. The seeds of this 

 grass are extremely deleterious, acting as a 

 narcotic poison and, if taken in small quanti- 

 ties for a long period together, causing a 

 peculiar disease called dry gangrene, resem- 

 bling that occasioned by the ergot of rye. 

 The bad reputation of this species has prej- 

 udiced that of the other, and useful species. 

 The "Tares" of Scripture are supposed to 

 refer to this species. 

 Loma'ria. From lovia, an edge; referring to 

 the position of the spore or seed cases on the 

 leaves. Nat. Ord. PolypodiacecB. 



An extensive and interesting genus of Ferns, 

 including hardy, green-house, and hot-house 

 species. They occur in most parts of the 

 world, and comprise examples with simple 

 pinnatifid and pinnate fronds, while one spe- 

 cies, L. Fraseri, has a slender, tree-like stem, 

 and bi-pinnatifid fronds, but it is quite excep- 

 tional in the genus. L. Gibba, a dwarf species, 

 is largely grown for decoration. They are all 

 of easy culture and are propagated by spores. 



Loma'tia. From loma, an edge ; referring to 

 the winged edge of the seeds. Nat. Ord. Pro- 

 teacece. 



A small genus of South American and 

 Australian evergi-een shrubs or small trees, 

 with simple pinnate and l)ipinnate leaves of a 

 leathery texture. A few of the species are 

 grown in collections of plants with variegated 

 or ornamental foliage. They require ordinary 

 green-house treatment, and are propagated by 

 cuttings. 



Lomatophy'llum. From loma, lomatos, a border, 

 and phyllon, a leaf ; alluding to the distinctly- 

 bordered leaves. Nat. Ord. Liliacem. 



A small genus of green-house succulent 

 plants, allied to Aloe. L. Aloiflorum, or Bour- 



LOP 



bon Aloe, the only species in cultivation, has 

 smooth leaves nearly three feet long, and two 

 to three inches broad. The stems in old speci- 

 mens measure about eight feet high, and are 

 nearly as thick as a man's thigh. It was 

 introduced from the Island of Bourbon in 1766 

 under the name of Phylloma aloiflorum. 



Lombardy Poplar. See Populus. 



Lo'uas. Derivation unknown. Nat. Ord. Com- 

 posites. 



L. inodora, the only species, is a hardy, 

 erect, branched, annual herb, thriving in any 

 ordinarj' garden soil. It produces its small 

 yellow flowers in dense, terminal-crowded 

 corymbs from July to October. 



Lonchi'tis. From louche, a lance ; alluding to 

 the shape of the fronds. Nat. Ord. Polypo- 

 diacecE. 



A small genus comprising two species of 

 plant-stove ferns. L. pubescens, an introduc- 

 tion from the Mauritius has deltoid, tri-pin- 

 natifid fronds, two to four feet long, with 

 marginal sori, placed in the sinuses of the 

 fronds, and more or less distinctly reniform. 



Lonchoca'rpus. From louche, a lance, and 

 ka7-pos, a fruit ; in allusion to the shape of the 

 pods. Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



An extensive genus of ornamental shrubs, 

 natives of tropical America, Africa and 

 Australia. L. roseus, probably the only 

 species yet introduced, has erect, simple 

 racemes of large, showy, rose-colored flowers. 

 It was introduced from South America in 

 1700, and is propagated by cuttings of the 

 half-ripened young wood. 



London Pride. See Saxifraga umbroaa. 



Long Moss. See Tillandsia. 



Long Purples. Shakespeare's name for Orchis 

 mascula. 



Long-tailed Ornithogalum. See Omithogalum. 



Loni'cera. Honeysuckle. Named after Adam 

 Lonicer, a German botanist, who died in 1596. 

 Nat. Ord. Caprifoliacece. 



An extensive genus of climbing and upright 

 shi-ubs, inhabiting both the Eastern and the 

 Western Hemispheres, and much cultivated 

 for the sake of ornament and the fragrance of 

 their flowers. L. sempervirens. Trumpet 

 Honeysuckle, a handsome climbing plant with 

 sub-evergreen foliage and scarlet flowers, is a 

 native species, common from New York to 

 Florida, and is one of the most ornamental 

 of the genus. L. Halleana, from Japan, one 

 of the best of the climbing species, is a very 

 rapid and free grower and blooms all summer, 

 and L. brachypoda aurea reticulata, also from 

 Japan, is prized for the beauty of its variegat- 

 ed foliage. L. Tartarica, Tartarian Honey- 

 suckle, makes an ornamental shrub growing 

 from six to eight feet high, of compact habit, 

 and is profusely covered with flowers in May, 

 and with orange-colored berries during sum- 

 mer. All the species are worthy of cultiva- 

 tion, and are readily increased by layers, 

 cuttings, or from seed. 



Looking-Glass Tree. A name given to Her- 

 itiera littoralis. 



Loosestrife. See Lysimachia. 



Lope'zia. Named in honor of J. Lopez, a 

 Spanish botanist, Nat. Ord. Onagracm. 



