AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



227 



Lactnca continued. 



may be increased by divisions of the roots, or by seeds. 

 All the species of Lactuca abound in a milky juice, 

 which partakes, in a considerable degree, of the qualities 

 of opium. * The production of this juice is lessened by 

 culture, and especially by blanching. It is most abundant 

 in plants in a wild state, and in both wild and culti- 

 vated Lettuce during inflorescence. It is from the juice 

 of the Lettuce that the late Dr. Duncan, of Edinburgh, 

 prepared the drug called Lactucarium, which is occasion- 

 ally used as a mild narcotic or sedative where opium is 

 not admissible. See also Lettuce. 



L. alpina (alpine).* fl.-heads purplish-blue, large, numerous, 

 disposed in a corymbose cluster. July. I. somewhat lyrate, the 

 terminal lobe triangular and very large. Stems furrowed, erect, 

 smooth below, hairy above, h. 3ft. Arctic and Alpine Europe, 

 West Siberia, and Scotland (but very rare). Perennial. A 

 handsome plant for a somewhat shaded position, in very moist, 

 deep, loamy soil. (Sy. En. B. 809, under name of Mulgedium 

 alpinum.) 



L. macrophylla (large-leaved). JL-heads pinkish-purple, large, 

 corymbose. July. I. radical, large, cordate. Stems stout h. 4ft. 

 Caucasus. A noble species. 



L. macrorhiza (large-rooted).* jl.-heads bright light violet-purple, 

 about lin. in diameter, and disposed in loose corymbs. Autumn. 

 1. variously formed, sometimes lyrate-pinnatind, with one or two 

 pairs of lateral lobes, and a large, roundish, terminal one ; some- 

 times very slightly lyrate-pinnatifid, and at other times oblong ; 

 those of the stem with broad amplexicaul auricles, h. 6in. to 

 3ft. Himalayas. Perennial. (B. B. xxxii. 17, under name of 

 Mulgedium macrorhizon.) 



L. perennis (perennial), Jl.-heads light blue, in corymbose 

 panicles. June to August. I. all pinnatifld ; segments linear, 

 toothed upwards, h. 2ft. South Europe, 1596. (B. M. 2130.) 



L. Plumieri (Plunder's). fl.-heads purple, disposed in large, 

 spreading, terminal corymbs, with short bracts. Summer. I. 

 broad, large, pinnatifid-runcinate, glaucous underneath, h. 6ft. 

 South of France. A handsome perennial, like L. alpina, but 

 larger and more ornamental 



L. sativa (cultivated). Common Lettuce. fl.-heads pale yellow, 

 disposed in corymbs on a stem about 3ft. high. June. I. large, 

 roundish or roundish-oblong, entire, slightly toothed, milky. 

 A. 4ft. Generally considered to be a cultivated race derived from 

 L. Scariola, a widely-distributed weed. Annual. (B. M. PL 161.) 



L. tuberosa (tuberous).* fl.-heads pale blue, over lin. across, 

 disposed in loose panicles. Autumn. 1. about 1ft. long, 9in. 

 wide, runcinate-pinnatifid, with lanceolate, somewhat recurved, 

 finely-toothed lobes, h. 1ft. to lift. An ornamental perennial, 

 with a neat habit. Tauria. 



LACUNA. An intercellular space, circumscribed by 

 a great many cells. 



LACUNOSE. Having numerous large, deep excava- 

 tions. 



LADYBIRDS (Coccinella). These are a group of 

 small beetles of very great value to horticulturists, 



FIG. 367. GRUB OF SEVERN-SPOTTED LADYBIRD (enlarged). 



inasmuch as the larvae (see Fig. 367) feed on Aphides, 

 and aid much in limiting their ravages. The Coccinellidcs 

 have never more than three distinct joints in the tarsi, 

 have antennae shorter than the thorax, and are usually 

 hemispherical in form. The legs are short, and are seen 

 very little beyond the wing-cases. The species are 

 numerous, but form a very natural assemblage in respect 

 of structure, though the individual species are so variable 

 in colour as to have been often described under several 

 names. They excrete, from the joints of the legs, drops 

 of a yellowish fluid with a disagreeable smell. At times, 

 Ladybirds appear in countless swarms, especially after 

 severe attacks of Aphides on Hops or other cultivated 

 plants. , They are commonly red with black spots, but 

 vary in size and number of spots, and may be black with 

 red spots, or unspotted red or black, or more or less 

 marked with yellow. Among the commoner species are : 



Ladybirds continued. 



C. septempunctata (Seven-spotted Ladybird, see Fig. 368), 

 C. bipunctata (Two-spotted), C. undecimpunctata (Eleven- 



FIG. 368. SEVEN-SPOTTED LADYBIRD. 



spotted), and C. variabilis. In Roman Catholic times, 

 in Britain, these insects were regarded as sacred to the 

 Virgin : hence the name Ladybirds, or Ladycows. 



LADY FERN. See Asplenium Pilix-fcemina. 



LADY'S GARTERS. A name applied to the 

 striped garden variety of Phalaris arundinacea (which 

 see). 



LADY'S MANTLE. See Alchemilla. 



LADY'S SLIPPER. See Cypripedium Cal- 

 ceolus. 



LADY'S SMOCK. See Cardamine. 



L2ELIA (named after a vestal virgin of that name, 

 because of the delicacy of the flowers). SY.N. Amal : as. 

 OBD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about twenty 

 species of beautiful Orchids, natives of the warmer parts 

 of America, from Brazil to Mexico. They are closely allied 

 to Cattleya, and are distinguished principally therefrom in 

 having eight pollen masses. Flowers numerous or few, on 

 terminal scapes. Leaves thick, hard. Pseudo-bulbs often 

 elongated, clavate, and stem-like. For culture, &c., see 

 Cattleya. 



L. acuminata (pointed-lipped). /. lin. to 2in. across ; sepals and 

 petals pure white ; lip white, with a dark blotch on the upper 

 part ; spikes five or six-flowered, 1ft. to lift. long. December 

 Pseudo-bulb rather 



petals pure white ; lip white, 



part; spikes five or six-flowei . , _.. 



and January. 1. solitary, oblong, thick. 



roundish in outline, and flat. Mexico, 184U (B. M. 4905.) There 



is a pretty variety of this species, with delicate rosy-violet 



flowers. 



FIG. 369. FLOWER OF L^ELIA ALBIDA. 



L. albida (whitish).* fl. very fragrant, liin. to 2in. across; sepals 

 and petals mealy-white ; lip white, or pale pink, streaked in the 

 centre with lines of yellow ; scape slender, from the top of the 



