AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



251 



Lepanthes continued. 



L. calodictyon (handsome -netted). /. yellow and red, very 

 small. I. sessile, pale green, with rich brown veins, h. 2in. New 

 Grenada, previous to 1861. (B. M. 5259.) 



L. sanguinea (blood-coloured), fl. blood-coloured; peduncles 

 aggregate, shorter than the leaf ; sepals ovate, glandularly ciliated, 

 as also the lip ; lateral lobes of lip wing -formed, spreading, 

 middle lobe three-lobed, pressed to the column. January I 

 ovate, three-toothed. Jamaica, 1843. (B. M. 4112.) 



LEPANTHUS. A synonym of Heteranthera. 



LEFECHINTA (named after John Lepechin, a 

 Russian botanist, who died in 1802). OBD. Labiatce. A 

 genus comprising three species of half-hardy Mexican 

 herbs. Corolla yellowish or whitish ; tube shorter than the 

 calyx, naked within ; limb shortly bilabiate ; whorls six to 

 ten-flowered, in dense terminal crowded spikes, or the 

 lower ones, or sometimes all, scattered. Nutlets ovoid, 

 smooth. Leaves rugosely dentate. The undermentioned 

 species requires a loamy soil. Propagated by divisions 

 of the plant in spring ; or by cuttings of young shoots, 

 placed under a hand glass, at the same season. 



L. spicata (spiked), fl. yellow, small ; whorls crowded into 

 terminal oblong or sub-globose spikes, lin. to l^in. long. 

 Summer. /. nearly sessile, 2in. to 6in. long, ovate, obtuse, crenu- 

 lated, wrinkled. Stem erect, h. 1ft. to IJft. Mexico, 1800. (B. E. 

 1292.) 



LEPERIZA. The plants formerly placed in this 

 genus are now included, by Bentham and Hooker, under 

 Phaedranassa and Urceolina (which see). 



LEPICYSTIS. Included under Polypodium. 



LEPIDAGATHIS (from lepis, lepidos, a scale, and 

 agathis, a ball ; referring to the curved inflorescence, and 

 the flowers being placed between the scaly bracts). OBD. 

 Acanthaceoe. A genus comprising about fifty species of 

 herbs or sub-shrubs, natives, for the most part, of the 

 East Indies, the Malayan Archipelago, and tropical Africa, 

 with two inhabiting tropical America. L. cristata, probably 

 the only species yet introduced, is a stove evergreen shrub, 

 thriving in any light, rich soil. Cuttings of young 

 shoots will root during May, if inserted in sandy soil, 

 and placed in bottom heat. 



L. cristata (crested), fl. purple. June. I. linear-lanceolate or 

 oblong, glabrous, h. 2ft. India, 1820. 



LEFIDIUM (Lepidium, Greek name used by Dios- 

 corides : it is a diminutive of lepis, a scale, and probably 

 alludes to the form of the pods). Pepperwort. OBD. Cru- 

 ciferce. A genus comprising from sixty to eighty (by 

 some authors estimated at 100) species of herbs or sub- 

 shrubs, widely dispersed, and of variable habit. Flowers 

 white, small, racemose, ebracteate. Leaves variable. The 

 species are valueless as ornamental subjects; but the 

 undermentioned is an esteemed salad plant. 



L. sativum (cultivated). Common Garden Cress, A. white. 

 June. Pods orbicular, winged. I. variously cut and divided. 

 Branches not spiny. f>. 1ft. to lift. Probably a native of Persia, 

 &c., 1548. An erect branched, smooth hardy annual. (Sy. En. B. 

 155.) See also Cress, Garden. 



LEPIDOCARYA. A synonym of Parinarium 

 (which see). 



LEPIDOPTERA. This order of insects includes 

 the butterflies and moths alone. It is well characterised 

 by the four large membranous wings, covered with small 

 scales, and by the entirely suctorial mouth ; in the latter, the 

 jaws are adapted to form a long tube, which, when not 

 in use, is spirally coiled away below the head. The 

 larvae are known as caterpillars, and possess six true 

 legs on the front segments, besides a variable number 

 of prolegs or fleshy legs behind. They feed almost 

 always on plants, aud are often very destructive (see 

 Hawthorn Caterpillars, Hybernia, &c.). The pupae 

 are almost motionless, and are often inclosed in a cocoon 

 of silk, earth, or other material. The limbs in the pupae 

 are closely bound down to the body (obtected). The 

 Lepidoptera are divided into two great groups: Diurni, 



Lepidoptera continued. 



or butterflies, with antennae usually clubbed at the tip; 

 wings usually erect in repose, not connected by a spine 

 and hook ; pupae usually naked and often angular ; almost 

 all are day fliers. Nocturni, or moths, with antennas 

 pointed at tip; wings connected by a spine and hook, 

 usually horizontal in repose; pupae more rounded than 

 pupae of the Diurni, almost always in a cocoon ; mostly 

 nocturnal in their habits. The larvae of this group are 

 more frequently injurious than those of the Diurni. 



LEPISMITJM. This genus is now included, by the 

 authors of the " Genera Plantarum," under Rhipsalis 

 (which see). 



LEPTANDRA. Included under Veronica (which 



see). 



LEPTINELLA (from leptos, slender, small; on 

 account of the habit and size of the plants). OKD. 

 Composites. A genus (now included, by Bentham and 

 Hooker, tinder Cotula) consisting of about eighteen 

 species of hardy, mostly perennial, herbs, inhabiting 

 Australia, New Zealand, and the Antarctic regions. 

 Flower-heads rather small ; receptacle at length conical ; 

 corollas yellow; achenes glabrous. Leaves alternate, 

 pinnatifid or pinnately dissected, rarely undivided or 

 toothed. L. dioica makes a pretty summer carpet of 

 dark green slightly pinnatifid leaves, and is much used 

 for carpet bedding. For culture of the three species 

 described below, see Paronychia. 



L. dioica (dioecious).* fl.-heads pale yellowish (male and female 

 similar), small, on slender scapes, which may equal leaves in 

 length. Summer. 1. stalked, dark green, lin. to 2in. long, linear 

 or spathulate, obtuse, semipinnatifld. Stems creeping, rather 

 stout, short, h. 2in. to Sin. New Zealand. 



L. lanata (woolly), fl.-heads iin. in diameter; involucre fleshy, 

 three or four-seriate, glabrous, glandular, elliptic-rotundate ; 

 peduncles shorter than the leaves. I. petiolate, oblong, obtuse, 

 pinnatifld ; segments acute, the margins of the upper ones pinna- 

 tifld-serrate ; base sheathed. Stem prostrate. Lord Auckland's 

 Islands. 



L. plnmosa (feathery), ft.-heads solitary, about iin. in diameter ; 

 receptacle naked, conical ; involucre one-seriate ; peduncles ter- 

 minal and lateral, solitary, elongated, slender, as long as the 

 petioles. 1. long-stalked, linear-oblong, obtuse, tripinnatifid ; 

 segments ultimately subulate. Lord Auckland's Islands. Plant 

 softly and loosely hairy. 



LEFTOCERAS. Included under Caladenia. 



LEPTOCHILUS. Included under Acrostichum. 



LEPTOCIONIUM. Included nnder Hymenophyllum. 



LEFTODACTYLON. Included under CKlia (which 

 see). 



LEPTODERMIS (from leptos, slender, and derma, 

 the skin ; in reference to the thin bark). OBD. Rubiacece. 

 A genus comprising three or four species of evergreen 

 branching shrubs, natives of the Himalayan Mountains and 

 Eastern Bengal, with one inhabiting North China. Flowers 

 white or pink, at the apices of the branches or branch- 

 lets, shortly axillary, sessile. Leaves opposite, shortly 

 petiolato, lanceolate. Branches twiggy, terete. L. lan- 

 ceolata, the only species yet introduced, is a greenhouse 

 shrub, allied to Hamiltonia (which see for culture). 

 L. lanceolata (lanceolate). fl. white, scentless, sessile by threes 

 at the ends of the branches ; involucre calyciform, of two leaves ; 

 corolla funnel-shaped, scabrous. June. Manceolate, attenuated, 

 acute, membranous, villous ; stipules triangular, villous. Branches 

 quadrangular, downy while young, h. 6ft. Nepaul, 1842. 



LEPTOGRAMME. Included nnder Gymnogramme. 



LEPTOMERIA (from leptos, slender, and meris, a 

 part ; referring to the slender and almost leafless shoots). 

 OBD. Santalacece. A genus comprising fourteen species 

 of greenhouse shrubs, limited to Australia. Flowers 

 minute, in little terminal or Literal spikes, racemes, or 

 clusters. Branches numerous, slender, or rigid, appa- 

 rently leafless. Leptomerias thrive in a compost of sandy 

 peat and fibry loam, to which may be added a few pieces 

 of charcoal. Propagated by cuttings of firm young 

 shoots, placed in sand, under a bell glass. In all proba- 



