AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



285 



Liqui clamb a r co ntinued. 



FIG. 453. BRANCH OF LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA, bearing 

 (1) Female and (2) Male Flowers. 



of the veins, villous. h. 30ft. to 50ft. North America, 1681. An 

 elegant tree, somewhat resembling the Maple, but having 

 alternate leaves, which change towards the autumn to a bright 

 red, and remain on the tree until the first frosts. See Figs. 453 

 and 454. 



Iiiriodeudron continued. 



indehiscent. Summer. I. smooth, simple, alternate, stipulate, 

 three-lobed ; the terminal lobe emarginately truncate, the lateral 

 ones with two sinuses, h. 75ft to 100ft. North America, 1688. 

 A splendid tree, resembling an erect-growing Plane in habit. See 

 Fig. 455. 



FIG. 454. FEMALE FLOWERING BRANCH OF LIQUIDAMBAR 

 STYRACIFLUA. 



In addition to the two species above described, there are two or 

 more species recently discovered in China one or more being the 

 trees which furnish the wood used by the Chinese to make the 

 chests in which they export their tea. 



LIQUID MANURE. See Manures. 

 LIQUORICE. See Glycyrrhiza. 

 LIRIODENDRON (from Leirion, a, Lily, and den- 

 dron, a tree). Tulip-tree. OED. Magnolioceoe. A mono- 

 typic genus, the species being an elegant, hardy, de- 

 ciduous tree. It thrives best in a good deep loamy 

 soil ; and a sheltered, but not overshadowed, situation 

 is most suitable. Propagated by seeds, which should be 

 sown in a rather moist sandy loam, in a shady position, 

 during autumn. 



L. tulipifera (tulip-bearing).* fl. variegated with green, yellow, 

 and orange, large, solitary, terminal, very fragrant, each blossom 

 furnished underneath with two deciduous bracts ; petals six, 

 connivent in two imbricated series ; sepals three, reflexed ; car- 

 pels, hi an oblong spike, two-seeded, at length samaroid and 



FIG. 455. LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA, showing Flowering Branchlet, 

 and Longitudinal Section of Flower, with Sepals and Petals 

 removed. 



LIRIOPE (named after the nymph Liriope). OBD. 

 HcemodoracecB. A monotypie genus. The species is a 

 pretty cool greenhouse plant, with a short, thick, some- 

 times stoloniferous rhizome. For culture, see Ophio- 

 pogon (under which this genus was formerly included). 

 L. graminifolia (grass-leaved), fl. rather small, in fascicles or 

 clusters of three to five, on a spicate raceme 6in. to 12in. long ; 

 perianth deep violet-blue, sub-campanulate, deeply divided into 

 six segments; scape erect, dark livid-purple. October. I. all 

 radical, 6m. to 12in. long, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, three- 

 nerved, obscurely striated, surrounded by a few membranous 

 scales at the base. China and Japan, 1821. SYN. Ophiopogon 

 spicatus (under which name it is figured in B. M. 5348, B. B. 

 593, and L. B. C. 694). 



LISIANTHUS (said to be derived 

 from lysis, dissolution, and anthos, a 

 flower; a name given to the plant on 

 account of the medicinal virtues it possesses 

 of dissolving humours, being a powerful 

 cathartic). Sometimes spelt Lisyanthus. 

 OKD. Gentianece. A genus comprising about 

 fifty species of greenhouse or half-hardy 

 herbs or shrubs, natives of tropical America. 

 Flowers blue, purple, white, or yellowish- 

 green, showy, erect or nodding, in terminal 

 cymes ; corolla funnel-shaped ; tube shortly 

 cylindrical at base ; limb oblique, or equally 

 five-lobed, often shorter than the tube, ob- 

 tuse or acute, twisted. Capsules nodding, 

 or rarely erect. Leaves opposite, sessile 

 or petiolate, narrow, rather fleshy - coriaceous, rarely 

 broad, membranaceous. The species of Lisianthus, and 

 also those of Eustoma, which are more frequently re- 

 ferred to as belonging to the same genue, are amongst 

 the most difficult of plants to cultivate successfully. 

 They are very handsome when in flower, and, conse- 

 quently, well repay for the devotion of a little more 

 than ordinary attention, with a view to bringing 

 them to perfection. Some of the species are only of 

 annual duration, and may be increased by seeds ; 

 others, of a shrubby habit, may be propagated from 

 cuttings. Eustoma Russellianum, the plant generally 

 known and grown in gardens as Lisianthus Russelli- 

 anus, is more frequently seen than any of the species 

 of the latter genus. If not a biennial, it should be 

 treated as such, by preparing plants one season to 

 flower the next. The seeds are very minute, and should 

 be sown, in spring, on the surface of some light soil, 



