L AT 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



L AT 



17 



9. Lathyrus Angulatus. Peduncles one-flowered, awned ; 

 tendrils two-leaved, quite simple; leaflets linear; stipules 

 lanceolate. Annual. Native country unknown. 



10. Lathyrus Articulatus; Jointed-poddcd Lathyrws. Pe- 

 duncles one or two flowered ; tendrils many-leaved ; leaflets 

 alternate. The flower has the keel of a pea, waved on the 

 sides, and not oblique ; standard bright red, with white 

 wings and keel. Native of the south of Europe. 



** With two-flowered Peduncles. 



11. Lathyrus Odoratus ; Sweet Pea, or Painted Lady. 

 Peduncles two-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved ; leaflets ovate- 

 oblong; legumes hirsute. This is an annual plant, which 

 rises from three to four feet high, by means of its long claspers 

 or tendrils. The flower-stalks come out at the joints, are 

 about six inches long, and sustain two large flowers, which 

 have a strong odour; and are succeeded by oblong hairy pods, 

 having four or five roundish seeds in each. In the common 

 sort, the corolla has dark purple standards, with the keel 

 and wings of a light blue. Other varieties are, the white ; 

 the pink with a white keel, and the wings pale blush colour ; 

 the pink or blush-coloured standard, with both keel and 

 wings white ; the rose-coloured standard, with the wings 

 and keel pale blue : those that have a mixture of red with 

 white or pale blue, are called Painted Ladies. There is also 

 a variety of the common dark sort, with the keel pale violet, 

 and the wings dark violet. According to Linneus, the com- 

 mon dark sort is a native of Sicily, and the Painted Lady 

 of Ceylon. They all deserve a place in every good garden, 

 as well for their fragrance as their beauty. The gardeners 

 who raise Sweet Peas for the London markets, sow them 

 in the autumn in pots, and secure them from severe weather, 

 by placing them in hot-bed frames, by which means they 

 can bring them early to market. They may be continued in 

 flower the whole summer by repeated sowings in the spring ; 

 and must be watered frequently when sown in pots 



12. Lathyrus Annuus; Tiuo-flowered Yellow Annual La- 

 thyrus. Peduncles two-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved ; leaf- 

 lets ensiform ; legumes smooth ; stipules two-parted. This 

 rises with a climbing stalk five or six feet high, having two 

 membranes or wings running from joint to joint ; the flowers 

 are small, yellow, and succeeded by long taper pods contain- 

 ing several roundish seeds. Native of France and Spain. 



13. Lathyrus Fruticosus ; Shrubby Lathyrus. Stem 

 shrubby; peduncles two-flowered; leaves pinnate, tomenlose. 

 Flowers axillary, on short, white, tomentose peduncles, with 

 one bracte to each flower ; corolla yellow ; calix globular. 

 Native of Peru, on the hills near Huanuco. 



14. Lathyrus Tingitanus; Tangier Lathyrus or Pea. 

 Peduncles two-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved ; leaflets alter- 

 nate, lanceolate, smooth ; stipules crescent-shaped. Native 

 of Barbary. 



15. Lathyrus Clymenum. Peduncles two-flowered ; ten- 

 drils many-leaved; stipules toothed. Native of the Levant. 



'* Peduncles many-flowered. 



16. Lathyrus Hirsntus; Hairy Lathyrus. Peduncles 

 commonly three-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved ; leaflets lan- 

 ceolate; legumes hirsute; seeds rugged. Stems angular, 

 twisted, slightly hairy ; flowers an inch or an inch and half 

 from each other; corolla purple, with yellow lines within. 

 Native of many parts of Europe, but not common in Eng- 

 land. It flowers in July. 



17. Lathyrus Tuberosus ; Tuberous Lathyrus. Peduncles 

 many-flowered; tendrils two-leaved ; leaflets oval; internodes 

 naked. Root creeping, putting out irregular tubers, about 

 as big as those of the Pig Nut, covered with a brown skin. 

 Corollas deep red. This plant is cultivated in Holland for 



the roots, which are sold in the market, and eaten there. 

 When two inches or upwards in length, they may be consi- 

 dered as fit for use. Boil them from two to three hours, till 

 a fork will pass through them ; when sufficiently soft, dry 

 them, and roast them gently, serving them up in a cloth in 

 the same manner as chestnuts, for which they are a good 

 substitute, and persons used to them become very fond of 

 them. With us it is only cultivated for ornament, being a 

 beautiful hai'dy perennial, resembling the Everlasting Pea, but 

 of an humbler growth. It flowers in July and August. Na- 

 tive of France, Germany, Flanders, Holland, Switzerland, 

 Austria, and Siberia. The plant will grow in any ground, but 

 a light rich soil suits it best. As the roots, if not restrained, 

 spread extensively as well as penetrate very deep, it is advis- 

 able to form a border inclosed all around with brick-work, 

 about twenty inches deep, paving the bottom with bricks. 

 The tubers, each of which will produce a plant, should be 

 put into the earth about six inches from each other, and three 

 inches deep. In two years they will be fit for use, and should 

 be taken up as wanted. The bed should be dug in regular 

 course from one end, leaving the smaller tubers and fibres to 

 produce a succession of plants, adding some fresh rich soil 

 every year. 



18. Lathyrus Pratensis ; Meadow Lathyrus. Peduncles 

 many-flowered; tendrils two-leaved, quite simple; leaflets 

 lanceolate. Root perennial, creeping; stems a foot or eighteen 

 inches high, and sometimes three feet, or even more, in length ; 

 flowers in a raceme ; corolla yellow. In old authors, this 

 plant is much reprobated as a vile weed, that spreads much 

 by means of its creeping roots ; and accordingly Mr. Miller 

 excludes it from gardens. Many modern writers, however, 

 recommend it as an excellent food for cattle, and not without 

 reason, since its quality is good, and it bears a large burden 

 of succulent leafy stalks. Mr. Swayne, however, asserts that 

 it does not seem at all agreeable to cattle, and that, where 

 they have a choice of feed, they seldom touch it. It is called 

 in English, Common Yellow or Meadow Vetchling, and Tare 

 Everlasting. Native of meadows, pastures, woods, thickets, 

 and hedges, in most parts of Europe, flowering from June to 

 August. 



19. Lathyrus Sylvestris ; Wild Lathyrus, or Narrow-leaved 

 Everlasting Pea. Peduncles many-flowered ; tendrils two- 

 leaved ; leaflets ensiform ; internodes membranaceous. Root 

 perennial ; stems six feet or more in height, climbing or 

 trailing, spreading widely, branched, winged, and smooth; 

 corolla red and white ; standard large, rose-coloured, faintly 

 netted-veined ; wings violet ; keel whitish green. Native of 

 most parts of Europe. In England it is found between Castle 

 Camps and Bartlow, in Cambridgeshire; between Bath and 

 Bristol ; near Conway, in Wales ; between Pershore and 

 Eckington, in Worcestershire ; on Shelton bank near Salop ; 

 and near Pensford in Somersetshire ; in the vicinity of Lon- 

 don it is rare, but has been observed in the Oak-of-honour 

 Wood near Peckham; and it grows abundantly in many parts 

 of Kent and Bedfordshire. 



20. Lathyrus Latifolius; Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea. 

 Peduncles many-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved; leaflets ovate, 

 or lanceolate; internodes membranaceous. Root peren- 

 nial ; stalks several, thick, climbing by means of tendrils 

 to the height of six or eight feet, or even higher in woods: 

 these die to the ground in autumn, and new ones rise 

 in the spring from the same root ; corolla pale purplish rose- 

 colour. This is a showy plant for shrubberies, wilderness 

 quarters, arbours, and trellis work; but too large and rampant 

 for the borders of the common flower-garden. Bees resort 

 much to it, and the flowers furnish them with abundance of 



