LEIOPHYLLUM LEPTOSPERMUM 15 



foliage. The best method of propagating it is by cuttings made of shoots 

 i to ii ins. long in July or August, dibbled in sandy peat, and placed in 

 gentle" bottom heat; they should be covered with a bell-glass until 

 rooted. 



The species exhibits considerable variation in the size of the leaf, and 

 in the comparative lengths of sepals and capsule, and of the petals and 

 stamens. Some botanists make three species, but they appear to be no 

 more than varieties. Ordinary L. buxifolium has the leaves mostly 

 alternate ; seed-vessels smooth, and thrice as long as the sepals ; stamens 

 twice as long as the petals. 



Var. HUGERI. Leaves mostly alternate, but longer than in the type ; seed- 

 vessels smooth, twice as long as the sepals ; stamens about the same length 

 as the petals. The commonest garden form (see fig.) 



Var. PROSTRATUM. Leaves mostly opposite ; seed-vessels toothed on the 

 outside. 



LEITNERIA FLORIDANA, Chapman. CORKWOOD. 



LEITNERIACE^:. 



A deciduous shrub or small tree, usually 5 to 10, sometimes 20 ft. 

 high, with a stem 3 to 5 ins. in diameter ; young shoots downy. Leaves 

 alternate, entire, narrowly oval, tapered at both 'ends; 3 to 7 ins. long, 

 i \ to 3 ins. wide ; covered with short hairs at first above, grey-felted 

 beneath; stalk downy, i to i|- ins. long. Flowers unisexual, the sexes on 

 separate trees. Males in erect, axillary catkins, ij ins. long, each flower 

 consisting of three to twelve stamens borne on a hairy bract. Female 

 catkins smaller and more slender than the males; all of a greyish hue 

 and of little beauty. Fruit an oval, dry drupe, f in. long. 



Native of Missouri, Florida, etc., inhabiting swamps ; discovered 

 about 1835 ; introduced to Kew in 1910. This remarkably interesting 

 tree constitutes in itself the naturaf order Leitneriaceae, and its position 

 in the vegetable kingdom is variously estimated ; most botanists, however, 

 concur in placing it near the Myrica or gale family. I saw it in 1910 

 thriving quite well in the Arnold Arboretum, Mass., in Highlands Park, 

 Rochester, N.Y., and in the New York Botanic Garden. It seemed to 

 .grow as well in ordinarily moist as in damp spots. All these places have 

 considerably greater extremes than we have of heat and cold, and its 

 capability of supporting our duller climate has yet to be ascertained. 

 Young plants have so far succeeded well. According to Prof. Trelease 

 it often grows in rich soil, mostly covered with 6 ins. or more of water. 

 But many American trees found in such places succeed better here under 

 drier conditions. Still a site moderately moist should be given it. Its 

 wood is probably the lightest known, and only weighs 12 J Ibs. per 

 cubic foot. 



LEPTOSPERMUM SCOPARIUM, Forster. MYRTACE.E. 



A compact evergreen bush of rounded, very twiggy habit, attaining 

 the dimensions of a small tree in a wild state: young wood sparsely 



