AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



235 



Lapageria continued. 



planting out. The soil best suited is three parts good 

 fibry peat to one of loam, and plenty of sharp sand or 

 charcoal should be intermixed. The roots may be in- 

 closed, where space is limited, by slates or a narrow wall, 

 allowing a space of about a square yard inside ; other- 

 wise, the crowns spread by their underground stems, and 

 throw up new shoots a considerable distance from where 

 they were originally intended to do so. Young shoots are a 

 special prey for slugs ; consequently, the latter should be 

 rigidly excluded, by a band of cotton wool, broken glass, 

 or some other impassable barrier, until the growths are 

 solidified. A cool temperature, and shade in summer, 

 are best suited for the Lapageria, such as a position in 

 a greenhouse or structure devoted to cool flowering 

 subjects. Plenty of water may be given while the plants 

 are growing, and frequent heavy syringings, until the 

 flowers begin opening, are advantageous. Healthy plants, 

 thus treated, flower profusely from the latter part of 

 summer until very late in the autumn. 



Insects. The young shoots of the Lapageria invariably 

 become infested with Green Fly in spring. Fumigating 

 lightly, on two successive evenings, is the best remedy, and 

 one that should be immediately applied, or the growths 

 will be crippled. Mealy Bug, Scale, and Thrips, also in- 

 fest the plants, and must be kept down by syringing 

 and sponging the firm leaves and stems with a rather 

 strong solution of soft soap. 



L. rosea (rosy).* fl. rich rosy-crimson, large, pendulous, in the 

 axils of the upper leaves, or at the apices of the branches, solitary 

 or few, produced in great abundance, and remaining in full 

 beauty for several months. I. alternate, lanceolate-ovate or sub- 

 cordate, acuminate, coriaceous, three to five-nerved, and reticu- 

 lately veined. Chili, 1847. See Fig. 375. (B. M. 4447.) The 

 flowers of this beautiful species vary, in size and substance, on 

 different plants, under cultivation, some being very large and 

 superior in every way to others. Obtaining a good " variety " 

 is an important matter. 



L. r. alba (white).* A very beautiful form, with spotless white 

 flowers, thus constituting an admirable contrast to the typical 

 species. Chili, 1854. (B. M. 4892.) 



L. r. superba (superb).* Described as a magnificent variety, pro- 

 ducing fine large flowers of an exceedingly rich and brilliant 

 crimson colour. 



LAFEYROUSIA (named in honour of J. F. G. de 

 la Peyrouse, 1741-1788, the French circumnavigator). 

 STNS. Meristostigma, Ovieda, and Peyrousia. OBD. Iridece. 

 A genus comprising about eighteen species of half-hardy 

 bulbous plants, natives of Southern and tropical Asia, 

 allied to Anomatheca, but with the spreading lobes 

 more equal, and stigmas more deeply cleft. Flowers on 

 terminal elongated spikes. Leaves sheathing. For cul- 

 ture, &c., see Anom.ath.eca (which genus is included, by 

 Bentham and Hooker, under Lapeyrousia). 

 L. anceps (two-edged), fl., perianth tube bluish-purple, long, 



slender ; limb hypocrateriform ; segments spathulately lanceolate. 



September. I. broadly ensiform, many-nerved, short and blunt ; 



edges more or less curled, and sometimes toothed, rather glau- 



cous, light green ; upper ones sheathing the stem. Stem 9in. high, 



branched, flat. Cape of Good Hope, 1824. 



L. corymbosa (corymbose), fl. bright blue, with a white and 

 dark blue angled band encircling the central portion of the 

 perianth ; the angles are acute, and extend about half the length 



of the segments ; corymbs several-flowered, clustered, on loose, 

 slender stems. May. 1. narrow, tapering, h. 6in. to 12in. Cape 

 of Good Hope, 1791. (B. M. 595.) 



L. flssifolia (cleft-leaved), fl. pink or rose, with very narrow tubes 

 2in. or more in length, fragrant, produced from the axils of the 

 leaves, chiefly near the apex of the stem. August. I. tapering, 

 becoming small towards the upper part of the stem. h. bin. 

 Cape of Good Hope, 1809. A very rare species. (B. M. 1246.) 



LAFLACEA (named in honour of P. S. de la Place, 

 1749-1827, the celebrated French mathematician). STNS. 

 JTcEmoc/iarts,LV/tdle)/a(ofNees),and Wikstromia. ORD.Tern- 

 strdmiacece. This genus comprises about twelve species 

 of stove trees or shrubs, three of which are natives of 

 the Indian Archipelago, and the rest tropical American. 

 Flowers often sub-sessile, in the axils of the upper leaves. 

 Leaves less coriaceous than in Gordonia. For cultivation, 

 see Ockua. 



Laplacea continued. 



L. semiserrata (half-serrate), fl. white ; calyx and corolla silky 

 on the outside. September. I. lanceolate, dentately serrated, 

 glabrous, h. 30ft. Brazil, 1842. (B. M. 4129.) 



LAFORTEA (named by Gaudichaud after his friend 

 M. Laporte). ORD. Urticacece. A genus comprising 

 twenty-five species of stove perennial herbs, shrubs, or 

 trees, widely distributed throughout the warmer regions of 

 the Old World, a few being natives of extra-tropical North 

 America or Mexico ; the genus is quite absent from South 

 America. Flowers monoecious or dioecious ; panicles axil- 

 lary, solitary, cymose - dichotomous, or rarely reduced to 

 simple racemes. Leaves alternate, often large, dentate, 

 rarely entire, penniveined, rarely three-nerved. Laporteas 

 thrive in a compost of rich loam and fibrous peat or 

 leaf mould. Propagated by seeds ; or by cuttings, placed 

 in sand, under a bell glass, in heat. Great care should be 

 exercised in handling these plants, as they possess stinging 

 hairs, which cause acute pain, and the effects last for a 

 long period. 



L. cronulata (crenulated). fl. dioecious. I. elliptic or ovate, 

 acuminate, cordate at base. Branches unarmed. India. Tree. 

 (B. F. S. 306.) 



L. gigas (giant), /.green. 1. large, broadly-ovate or rotundate, 

 often abruptly attenuate or shortly acuminate at base, cordate, 

 sub-entire, or unequally sinuate-crenate or serrulate, h. 80ft. 

 India to Australia, 1874. Tree. 



I. Schomburghii versicolor (Schomburgh's various-coloured). 

 , irregularly mottled with greyish-green, and varie- 

 with patches of creamy-white, large, alternate, having at 

 their base deciduous herbaceous stipules ; petioles fleshy, liin. to 

 2in. long, deep wine-purple, which colour is continued along the 

 midrib and principal side veins. Sometimes, the creamy-white 

 marking covers the whole of the leaf surface on one side the mid- 

 vein. Polynesia, 1875. A handsome ornamental-leaved plant. 



LAFFULA. See Echinospermum. 



LARCH. See Larix. 



L ARDIZ ABALA (named after M. Lardizalay of TJribe, 

 a Spanish naturalist). OBD. Berberideae. A small genus 

 (two species have been described) of hardy, or nearly 

 hardy, climbing shrubs. Flowers purple or livid, dioe- 

 cious ; peduncles axillary. Leaves two or three-ternate ; 

 leaflets entire or sinuate-dentate, feather-nerved and sub- 

 triplinerved. The only species as yet introduced is a 

 very handsome tall-growing climber. It thrives in a well- 

 drained compost of sandy loam and peat. Propagated 

 by cuttings, made of half-ripened shoots, and inserted 

 in sandy soil, under a glass. 



L. biternata (biternate). fl. purple, in drooping racemes, axil- 

 lary. December. I. dark green, glossy, twice-ternate ; leaflets 



oblong, acute, unequal at the base. Chili, 1848. This desirable 

 plant reaches perfection only when grown in a conservatory. 

 (B. M. 4501.) 



LARDIZABALE2:. A tribe of Berberidece. 



LARGE WHITE CABBAGE BUTTERFLY. 

 See Cabbage Caterpillars. 



LARIX (an ancient name for the Larch, nsed by 

 Dioscorides). Larch. ORD. Coniferce. A genus comprising 

 about eight species of ornamental, hardy, deciduous 

 trees (formerly included under Pinus), natives of the 

 temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere. Flowers 

 monoecious, or male and female on the same plant ; male 

 catkins small, without footstalks, egg-shaped; female 

 ones erect, solitary, ovate, much longer than the males. 

 Leaves linear, obtuse, soft, without footstalks, produced 

 singly or in bundles, deciduous. Cones small, oval-obtuse 

 or somewhat cylindrical, consisting of but few scales. 

 Some of the species are extensively grown for their 

 timber, which is valuable for many purposes. For general 

 culture, see Finns. 



L. americana (American).* Black Larch. I. shorter and more 

 slender than in the common Larch. Branches horizontal, ernes 

 ovoid, Jin. to Jin. Ion, of few rounded scales, h. 70ft. to 

 90ft. Jforth America (in swamps). A slender tree, with heavy, 

 close-grained wood. SYNS. Pinus microcarpa, P. pendula. 

 L. a. brevifolia (short-leaved). A synonym of L. occidentalis. 

 L. dahnrica (Dahurian). I. single, or in bundles of many together 

 round a central bud, soft, bright green, narrow-linear, blunt- 



