266 breck's new book of flowers. 



LINTJM-Flax. 



[Linum, in Celtic, signifies thread ] 



Linum perenne. — Perennial Flax. — A native of the far 

 West with bright blue flowers, which, though they fade 

 soon, are produced so abundantly that the plant is for a 

 long time in flower. 



Lt grandiflorum. — Large-flowered Flax. — A handsome 

 annual from Algiers. It has large, brilliant, crimson 

 flowers, and but seldom produces seed. L. luteum is sird- 

 ilar, with yellow flowers. L, usitcitisslmum, is the culti- 

 vated Flax ; it is an annual species with handsome blue 

 flowers, the proper place of which is the field rather than 

 the erarden. 



LOASA. 



[A. name of unknown meaning.] 



A curious genus, mostly annuals, remarkable for the 

 beauty of their singular flowers, but the j^lants possess one 

 quality which must forever banish them from the pleasure 

 garden ; the whole plant is covered with hairs, which, on 

 being even slightly touched, eject a poison into the flesh, 

 causing a painful blister, the eflfect of which does not pass 

 oflf for several days. 



Lo4sa lateritia* — Brick-red Loasa. — It is a native of 

 South America ; a climber, growing twelve to twenty feet 

 in a season. The seed should be sown in a warm border, 

 early in May. The flowers are prettily colored, between a 

 l>rick-red and orange shade, and produced in profusion 

 through the summer and autumn. It is very ornamental, 

 when properly trained upon a trellis ; but it will be best 

 not to come within touching distance of the plant without 

 a good pair of gloves. X. Pentlandii is another beauti- 

 ful species, of later introduction than the last, and said to 

 be more tender ; this is also a climbing plant. 



