LEDUM 13 



aromatically fragrant when bruised, narrowly oblong or oval ; ^ to 2 ins. long, 

 4 to i in. wide ; the margins much recurved, the base tapering or slightly 

 heart-shaped ; dark green with a few loose hairs above, covered beneath with 

 a thick* rust-coloured felt. Flowers in rounded terminal clusters 2 ins. across, 

 consisting of one or more corymbs ; each flower ^ to f in. across, white, borne 

 on a slender, downy stalk i to I in. long. Calyx edged with very minute 

 teeth ; petals oblong ; stamens five to eight ; seed-vessel somewhat cylindrical 

 in shape. 



Native of N America, also of Greenland ; introduced in 1763. A very 

 hardy and pretty shrub, the commonest of the Ledums in gardens and the 

 most useful. It flowers from the end of April to June. From L. palustre it 

 is distinguished by its leaves being twice as wide, by having not more than 

 seven or eight stamens to each flower, and by the seed-vessel being more 



LEDUM LATIFOLIUM. 



tapered at the top. It extends over an enormous range of country, and varies 

 to some extent in stature and shape of leaf. 



Var. COMPACTUM. Of dwarf habit, with short branches, very woolly stems, 

 short broad leaves, and small flower clusters. 



L. PALUSTRE, LintHZUS. MARSH LEDUM. 



A dwarf evergreen shrub of thin habit, I to 4 ft. high ; young shoots clothed 

 with rust-coloured wool. Leaves linear, ^ to i ins. long, ^ to | in. wide, the 

 margins much recurved and thus reducing their width, dark dull green above, 

 covered with rust-coloured wool beneath. Flowers white, in. across, pro- 

 duced during April and May in terminal clusters ; calyx minutely toothed ; 

 stamens more numerous than in L. latifolium, usually seven to eleven ; seed- 

 vessel egg-shaped. 



Native of the northern and Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and America, 

 not of Britain ; introduced, according to Aiton, in 1762. As a garden shrub 

 this Ledum. is inferior to L. latifolium, and is much less common. The 

 differences between them are pointed out under that species. 



