286 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Iiisianthus continued. 



merely covering by laying a pane of glass over the pot, 

 and keeping it shaded in a situation where there is 

 a little bottom heat, until germination takes place. 

 When large enough to handle without injury, the 

 young plants may be placed singly in small pots, using, 

 at this and subsequent times, a compost of loam, leaf 

 mould, and peat, in about equal quantities, with an 

 addition of some charcoal or sharp sand. A bed 

 where there is a slight bottom heat from fermenting 

 material, is the best place for the plants throughout the 

 summer. They should be wintered in a warm green- 

 house, choosing a light position, and watering very 

 carefully. Early the following spring, they should be 

 returned to a little bottom heat, and, when started into 

 growth, be placed in Sin. pots for flowering. Mildew 

 often proves very destructive, and must be guarded 

 against. L. princeps is a very distinct and fine plant, 

 rarely seen in cultivation. 

 L. acutangulus (acute-angled). /. green, yellow, pendulous ; 



peduncles dichotomous, panicled. January to May. I. connivent 



at the base ; lower ones cordate, upper ones ovate. Stem 



fistular, acutely tetragonal, h. 3ft. St. Martha, 1845. Annual. 



(B. M. 4324.) 



L. exaltatus (exalted). A synonym of Eustoma exaltatum. 

 L. (Erstedil (CErsted's). fl. greenish-yellow, whitish at the edge, 



unilateral, nodding, disposed in terminal racemose panicles ; 



corolla infundibuliform, oblique I. opposite, elliptic or obovate- 



oval. Nicaragua, 1871. Evergreen. 



. rich scarlet, melting into yellow at either 

 n five-lobed limb, about 3in. long; 

 sposed in clusters of four at the ends of the drooping twigs. 



li. princeps (chief).* /. rich scar 

 end, with an emerald-green fi 

 disposed in clusters of four at 



I. ovate, acuminate, deep green, opposite. New Grenada. Ever- 



green. 

 L. pulcher (fair).* fl. scarlet, pendulous ; panicles terminal, 



trichotomous ; stamens exserted. August. I. petiolate, 



elliptic-lanceolate. Branches bluntly tetragonal, h. 5ft. New 



Grenada, 1847. Evergreen. (B. M. 4424.) 

 L. Russellianus (Duke of Bedford's). A synonym of Eustoma 



Russellianum. 



LISSANTHE (from lissos, smooth, and antlios, a 

 flower ; in reference to the limb of the corolla being 

 destitute of hairs). OBD. Epacridece. A genus of 

 three species of pretty, greenhouse, evergreen, erect 

 shrubs, inhabiting Western Australia and Tasmania, 

 allied to Leucopogon. Flowers white or pink, small, 

 in terminal or axillary spikes or racemes; corolla 

 funnel-shaped ; limb beardless. Leaves scattered, narrow, 

 obtuse or pungent, often hoary underneath, striate- 

 nerved. The species here described is probably the only 

 one yet introduced. For culture, see Epacris. 

 L. sapida (savoury), fl. white, tipped with green ; racemes two 



or three-flowered, recurved. June, fr., berries red, acid, edible. 



I. oblong-linear, mucronate, with revolute margins, whitened, 



and striated beneath. A. 4ft. New South Wales, 1823. (B. M. 



3147; B. R. 1275.) 



LISSOCHILUS (from lissos, smooth, and cheilos, a 

 lip; in reference to the labellum). STN. Hypodematium. 

 OBD. OrchidecB. A genus comprising about thirty 

 species of usually stove terrestrial orchids, natives of 

 tropical and Southern Africa. They are distinguished 

 from Eulophia in the great disparity between sepals 

 and petals. Flowers often showy, pedicellate, in simple 

 racemes ; sepals free, equal, spreading ; petals broader 

 or larger than the sepals; lip affixed to the base of the 

 short, semi-terete, erect column ; scapes at the sides of 

 the pseudo-bulbs or rhizomatose, leafless, many-sheathed. 

 Leaves long, often narrow, prominently veined or pli- 

 cate. The stove species require a fibrous loamy soil, 

 with good drainage; and a liberal supply of water will 

 be needed when growing. A decided season of rest is 

 necessary after all growth has ceased, when water may, 

 for some time, be entirely withheld. The undermentioned 

 are the species best known to cultivation. 



L. Horsfallii (Hprsf all's).* /., sepals rich brown ; petals large, 

 white, with a delicate shade of rose ; lip green and rich purple ; 

 spike several-flowered. I. plicate, sharp-pointed, 2ft. to 3ft. 

 long by 4in. to 6in. broad. Old Calabar, 1865. A very hand- 

 some plant. (B. M. 5486.) 



Lissochilus continued. 



L. Krebsii (Krebs').* fl. scattered, Uin. in diameter; sepals 

 green, with dull purple blotches, broadly linear-oblong ; petals 

 pale golden-yellow, three to four times as large as the sepals ; 

 lip pendulous, sessile, brownish inside ; racemes 1ft. to lift, 

 long, twenty to thirty-flowered ; scape 2ft. to 3ft. high, stout. 

 1. in copious tufts from base of pseudo-bulb, 8in. to 12in. long, 

 2in. to Sin. broad. Pseudo-bulbs 2in. to Sin. long, ovoid or 

 elliptic-oblong. Natal, 1867. (B. M. 5861.) 



L. speciosus (showy), fl. yellow, butterfly-like, produced in 

 large and beautiful spikes. June. Cape of Good Hope, 1818. A 

 handsome, free-flowering, greenhouse species. (B. R. 573.) 



L. streptopetala (twisted-petaled). fl. yellow ; sepals oblong- 

 obtuse ; petals twice the size of the sepals, twisted at the base ; 

 middle lobe of lip roundish, emarginate ; spur short, conical. 

 March. I. linear-lanceolate, acute, three-nerved, sheathing at 

 the base. Brazil, 1822. SYN. Eulophia streptopetala (B. M. 2931 ; 

 B. R. 1002). 



LISTROSTACHYS ARCUATA. See Angrse- 



cum arcuatum. 

 LISYANTHUS. See Lisianthus. 



LITANTHTJS (from litos, small, and anthos, a 

 flower; because of the extremely small size of the 

 plant). OBD. Liliacece. A monotypic genus. The spe- 

 cies is an exceedingly small, greenhouse, bulbous plant, 

 having a bulb about the size of a pea. For culture, see 

 Scilla. 



L. pusillus (very small), fl. white, solitary, small, drooping; 

 perianth tubular, cylindrical, six-cleft. August. I. succeeding 

 the flowers, h. 2in. South Africa. 1870. This forms a pretty 

 object when grown in clumps in a pot. (B. M. 5995.) 



LITHOSPERMUM (the old Greek name used by 

 Dioscorides, and derived from lithos, a stone, and 

 sperma, a seed; in allusion to the hard, stone-like 

 seeds). GromwelL Including Batschia. OBD. Boraginece. 

 A considerable genus (forty species have been described) 

 of usually hardy biennial or perennial herbs, sub- 

 shrubs, or rarely small shrubs, widely spread over 

 Europe and Northern Asia, although most of the species 

 belong to the Mediterranean region. Flowers white, 

 yellow, blue, or violet, disposed in bracteated cymes; 

 corolla regular, funnel-shaped or salver-shaped, with- 

 out scales at the throat. Nut not contracted at the 

 base, having a flat surface of adhesion to the recep- 

 tacle. Leaves alternate, usually narrow. Only a few 

 species of this genus are worthy of culture, and these 

 form exceedingly pretty plants for borders, rockwork, 

 and such-like places. They thrive best in a sandy soil 

 or a rich loam, either of which must be well drained. 

 Propagated by cuttings, by divisions, or by seeds. 

 L. cancsccns (hoary), fl. yellow, fulvous, nearly sessile; tube 

 of corolla twice as long as the calyx. June and July. I. oblong, 

 obtuse, emarginate at the apex. Stem erect, divided into two 

 leafy cymes at top. North America, 1826. Herbaceous peren- 

 nial. SYN. Batschia canescens. (B. M. 4389.) 

 L. fruticosum (shrubby). A synonym of L. prostratum. 

 L. Gastoni (Gaston's).* fl. bright sky-blue, twice as large as those 

 of L. prostratum, and disposed in terminal clusters. Summer. 

 1. obovate-lanceolate, slightly rough with adpressed hairs, h. 1ft. 

 to lift. Western Pyrenees. A rare and very desirable her- 

 baceous perennial. (B. M. 5926.) 



L. hirtum (hairy), fl. yellow, pilose outside ; tube of corolla 

 shorter than the calyx. May to July. L linear-lanceolate, obtuse, 

 2in. to Sin. long. h. 6in. South United States, 1812. Perennial. 

 SVN. Batschia Gmelini. 



L. petrseum (rock). A synonym of Moltkia petrcea. 

 L. prostratum. (prostrate) * fl. deep blue, striped with reddish- 

 violet, axillary, distant, sessile, disposed in terminal leafy spikes 

 on the older branches ; tube of corolla three times longer than the 

 calyx. Summer. I. sessile, lanceolate-linear, hispid. South- 

 western Europe, 1825. A very handsome dwarf, trailing, evergreen 

 sub-shrub, with prostrate spreading stems. From its bright blue, 

 Gentian-like flowers, it is sometimes called the Gentian Litho- 

 spermum. The form of growth assumed by this plant eminently 

 tits it for rockwork. It can be increased only by cuttings, which 

 must be struck from the previous year's growth, inserted in fine 

 sand and peat, and kept shaded and cool for a few weeks. SYN. 

 L. frulicosum. 



L. purpureo-cseruleum (purplish-blue).* fl. at first red, after- 

 wards purple, more than |in. in diameter, axillary and at the 

 sides of the leaves, disposed in terminal, short, twin racemes. 

 Early summer. I. rough, lanceolate, acute, attenuated at the base, 

 with revolute margins, liin. long. h. 1ft. Europe (Britain). A 

 pretty perennial species, with creeping barren and erect flower- 

 ing stems. (Sy. En. B. 11CO.) 



