224 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Laburnum continued. 



common sorts. Laburnums thrive in almost any soil or 

 situation. The genus was formerly included under 

 Cytisus. 



L. Adami (Adam's).' fl. dull purplish, disposed in long pendulous 

 racemes. This remarkable graft hybrid is said to have been 

 raised by Jean Louis Adam, in 1825, by shield-grafting Cytisus 

 purpureus on L. vulgare. A most extraordinary thing in con- 

 nection with it is the complete reversion of some parts of the same 

 tree to one or the other of the parents. SYN. Cytisus Adami. 



L. alpinnm (alpine).* Scotch Laburnum, fl. yellow ; racemes 

 pendulous ; pedicels and calyces puberulous. June. Pod shorter 

 than that of L. vulgare, smooth, with distinctly-winged upper 

 suture. 1. petiolate, glabrous ; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, rounded 

 at the base. Branches terete, h. 15ft to 20ft. Europe, 1596. 

 Hardy tree. SYN. Cytisus alpinus. See Fig. 365. C. fractrans, 

 C. hirsutum, and C. pendulum (a form with pendent branches), 

 are varieties. 



L. caramanlcnm (Caramanian). fl. large, in erect racemes, 

 arranged in panicles. June. I small, shortly stalked, h. 3ft. to 

 4ft. Asia Minor, 1879. SY.N. Podocytisus caramanictts. 



L. vulgare (common).* Common Laburnum ; Golden Chain. 

 fl. yellow; racemes pendulous, simple; pedicels and calyces 

 clothed with adpressed pubescence. April to June. Pod clothed 

 with hairs ; upper suture thickened and keeled, but not winged. 

 J. petiolate; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, pubescent beneath. 

 Branches terete, whitish. A. 20ft. Southern France to Hungary, 

 1596. SYN. Cytisiis Laburnum (under which name it is figured in 

 B. M. 176). The following are the best varieties of this very 

 beautiful spring-flowering tree : 



L. v. aureum (golden). An interesting variety, with golden- 

 yellow leaves. 



L. V. Carllerl (Carlier"s). A free-flowering form, with very 

 narrow leaflets and long racemes. 



Ii. v. involutum (curled). A vigorous grower, with the leaflets 

 curled so as to form " rings." 



L. v. Parkesil (Parkes 1 ). Racemes very long ; flowers deeper- 

 coloured than those of the type. An excellent variety, raised 

 about 1840. 



L. V. quercifolium (Oak-leaved). Leaflets sinuated and lobed, 

 so as to resemble a miniature Oak-leaf in outline. 



L. v. Watereri (Waterer's). For length of raceme, depth of 

 colour, and floriferousness, this is, perhaps, the best of all the 

 varieties. 



LAC. A fluid having an opaque appearance, and 

 occurring in many plants. 



LAC.2ENA (a Greek adjective, meaning native of 

 Lacedaemon ; one of the names of Helen of Troy, which 

 was applied to this genus on account of its beauty). 

 OED. OrchidecB. A genus of two species of stove epiphytal 

 orchids, natives of Central America. They are very 

 closely allied to Lycaste and Anguloa. For culture, see 

 Acineta. 



L. bicolor (two-coloured). fl. greenish-yellow, streaked and 

 spotted with violet and dark purple. May. h. 1ft. Guatemala, 

 1843. (B. R. xxx. 50.) 



L. spectabilis (showy), fl. pinkish-white, dotted with small 

 spots, lin. in diameter ; lip having the central one of the three 

 lobes prolonged into a stalked spade-shaped body, thickly dotted ; 

 spikes loose, pendulous. May. I. elliptic. Pseudo-bulbs oblong- 

 ovoid, h. 6in. Mexico, 1853. (B. M. 6516.) 



LACE BARK OF JAMAICA. See Lagetta 

 lintearia. 



LACEPEDEA. A synonym of Turpinia (which 

 see). 



LACERATE. Torn; having a torn appearance. 



LACEWINO FLIES. These are frequently called 

 Golden-eyes (Chrysopa vulgaris, &c.). They belong to the 

 Neuroptera. The flies have usually slender bodies, and 

 rather large, delicate wings, reaching from lin. to If in. 

 in their span. The whole insect is usually green, vary- 

 ing in depth, often tinted with yellow ; the eyes are very 

 brilliant, resembling small golden-yellow beads. The eggs 

 are attached, by means of long hair-like stalks, to a 

 branch, many near one another, and have more than once 

 been mistaken for the fruits of a moss. The larvae are 

 iin. long, oval in form, and depressed, and have strong 

 jaws, six jointed legs, and hairs along the sides of the body. 

 They live on Aphides, sucking their victims dry, and 

 casting away the skins. These insects have a most 



Lacewing 1 Flies continued. 



unpleasant smell; hence they are often known as Stink 

 Flies. An allied genus, Hemerobius, includes several 

 species, similar in form to Chrysopa, but smaller, seldom 

 exceeding lin. in span of wings, and with the body and 

 wings of a brown or grey colour. It is like Chrysopa in 

 feeding, while young, on Aphides, but the larvas clothe 

 themselves with the skins of the Aphides killed by them. 

 Both genera are rather common. 



LACHENALIA (named after W. de Lachenal, 1736- 

 1800, Professor of Botany at Basel). ORD. Liliacece. A 

 rather large genus (about thirty species) of greenhouse 

 bulbous plants, natives of South Africa. Flowers sessile, 

 spicate, or in pedicellate racemes, erect, spreading, or 

 pendulous ; perianth tubular or almost campanulate ; scape 

 simple, leafless. Radical leaves two (or, in a few species, 

 three to five), rather thick, oblong, lorate, linear, or 

 sub-terete, often spotted or pustulate. Bulbs tunicated. 

 Lachenalias are among the most distinct and beautiful of 

 dwarf bulbous plants for greenhouse decoration. Some of 

 the species are very rare ; but, fortunately, one of the best, 

 tricolor, is plentiful, and is that most commonly seen. 

 L. aurea (a variety of L. tricolor) and L. Neleoni are also 

 extra fine especially the latter and worthy of the most 

 extensive cultivation so soon as the fitock, which is now 

 somewhat limited, admits. The flowering season, with 

 most species, is spring and early summer ; that of a few 

 of the rarer kinds being, however, dispersed throughout 

 the year. Propagation is effected by the increase of 

 bulbs round those of the previous year, which also remain 

 good. L. tricolor increases very rapidly, and all of its 

 bulbs, except the smallest, flower the following season. 



Cultivation. About the beginning of August is the best 

 time for the animal repotting. The whole stock of any 

 species to be grown should be taken out of the dry soil in 

 which the bulbs are usually kept while at rest, and placed 

 together in order that the large and smaller sizes may be 

 selected, and grown separately, to produce spikes uniform 

 in strength in each pot. Efficient drainage must be pro- 

 vided, and the compost here recommended is two parts 

 loam to one of leaf soil and dried cow manure ; some 

 sharp river sand or road grit being also added, to insure 

 the free passage of water. The bulbs should be placed 

 in the pots or pans in which they are intended to flower, 

 as no further repotting will then be necessary. Pans 

 from 9in. to 12in. in diameter are well adapted for 

 Lachenalias, where they are procurable, and there is a 

 sufficient stock to fill them. Pots Sin. in diameter are 

 those best suited, and about six bulbs should be placed 

 in each. Select the strongest for the pans, and cover, 

 in either case, with iin. of soil. Place them afterwards 

 on a moist bed of ashes, in a cool, shallow pit or 

 frame, where frost is merely excluded in winter. A 

 good watering may be given at first, to settle the soil; 

 but scarcely any more will be needed until growth com- 

 mences. Air and all possible light must be admitted 

 throughout the winter, to induce a sturdy growth, and 

 extra room should be allowed as the plants require it. 

 It is advisable to give air to Lachenalias on all favour- 

 able occasions in winter, as they soon become drawn in a 

 close or warm atmosphere. Cold draughts disfigure the 

 foliage, particularly in February and March, causing a 

 stunted growth ; consequently, in airing, special care must 

 be taken. A little artificial manure may be applied with 

 advantage so soon as the flower- spikes can be seen. This 

 is preferable to the use of manure water, as the latter 

 can scarcely be kept off the leaves, or from lodging 

 in their axils, to the detriment and injury of the flowers. 

 Forcing is sometimes recommended, but it should not 

 be practised unless a quantity of plants are at hand 

 to keep a succession ; all Lachenalias being very much 

 sturdier and better when kept altogether in a cool place, 

 away from the drying influences of fire heat. When in 

 flower, they present a much finer appearance in a green- 



