CHAP, LXIX. 



ERICA CE^. LE DUM. 



1155 



of its white flowers, rendering it highly ornamental. It was introduced in 

 1 736, and flowers in May and June. 



L. jirostratum; Ammyrsine prostrata Swt., Loud. Hort. Brit., No. 28221.; 

 A. Lyoni Swt. Hort. Brit., ed. 1830, p. Mi. — Branches spreading. Leaves 

 oblong. We had this plant some years ago, but have now lost it. It appeared 

 distinct from L.^hyniifolium Pers.; but, whether specifically so or not, we are 

 uncertain. 



Genus XXV. 



mk 



966 



LE^DUM L. The Ledum. Lin. Syst. Decandria Monogynia. 



Identification. Lin. Gen., No. 546. ; Gartn. Fruct., 2. p. 145. 1. 112. ; Juss. Gen., 159. ; Nutt. Gen. 



Amer., 1. p. 275. 

 Derivation. Ledon was the name applied by the ancients to a plant producing the substance called 



labdanum, and now known by the name of Cistus ifedon. In foliage, the L^dum of modern 



botanists bears some distant resemblance to the plant of the ancients. 



Description, Sfc. Evergreen shrubs of small size, or decumbent ; natives of 

 Europe and North America. 



«- 1. L. PALu'sTRE L. The Marsh Ledum. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 651. ; (Ed. Fl. Dan., t. 1031. : Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1. p. 300.; Don's Mill., 

 3. p. 851. F . i- J 



Synonymes. iedum silesiacum Clus. Pan., 68. : iJosmarinum sylves- 

 tre Cam. Epit., 546. 



Engravings. Du Ham. Arb., 1. t. 67. ; Schmidt Baum., t. 136. ; Lodd. 

 Bot. Cab., t. 560. ; Hayne Abbild., t. 57. ; and out fig. 966. 



Spec. Char., Src Leaves linear, with revolute mar- 

 gins, clothed with rusty tomentum beneath. Sta- 

 mens 10, longer than the corolla. Flowers white. 

 Leaves resembhng those of rosemary. (Don's 

 Mill., iii. p. 851.) A shrub, 2 ft. high ; "a native of 

 Canada, in swamps, and round the mountain lakes 

 of New York ; in Kotzebue's Sound, &c. ; also 

 of the north of Europe, as of Denmark, Silesia, 

 &c. It was introduced in 1762, and flowers in 

 April and May. 



Vorieti/. 



«-. L. ^j. 2 decumbens Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 2., 

 vol. iii. p. 48., is a decumbent shrub, a native 

 of Hudson's Bay. 



• 2. L. latifo'lium Ait. The broad-leaved Ledum, or Labrador Tea. 



Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., 2. p. 65. ; Pursh FL Amer. Sept., 1. p. 300. ; Don's Mill., 5. p 851. 

 Synonymes. L. groenlandicuni Refz. Obs., i. p. 26., Ft. Dan., t. 561. ; L. valiistre Michx. Ft. lior. 



Amer., 1. p. 259. ; Labrador Tea, Amer. 

 Engravings. Jacq. Icon., 3. t. 464. ; Schmidt Baum., 1. 164. ; Lam. Ill , t 363 ■ 



f. 1. ; Lodd. Bot. Cab., t. 534. ; Fl. Dan., t. 567. ; and onx fig. 967. ' ' 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaves linear-oblong, with replicate mar- 

 gins, clothed with rusty tomentum beneath. Stamens 5, 

 about the length of the corolla. Flowers white. (Don's 

 Mill., iii. p. 857.) A larger and broader-leaved shrub 

 than L. palustre; growing to the height of from 2 ft. to 

 4 ft. ; the leaves of which are said to be used, in Labra- 

 dor, as a substitute for tea. Bees are very fond of the 

 flowers. A native of Canada, in mossy swamps ; and of 

 Greenland, Labrador, Newfoundland, and Hudson's Bay. 

 This, or the preceding species, has lately been found 

 in Ireland. It was introduced in 1763, and flowers in 

 April and May. 



4g 3 



