1766 



LACHENALIA 



LADY'S EARDROPS 



7. lilifldra, Jacq. Bulb globose: Ivs. 2, lanceolate 

 and falcate, about 1 in. broad, with pustules on the 

 face: peduncle and infl. about 12 in., bearing 12-20 

 densely racemose fls. which are white; perianth %in. 

 long, all the segms. spreading, the outer longer than 

 the inner; stamens equaling inner segms. G.C. III. 

 38:259. 



AAA. Perianth campanulate or oblong-campanulate, not 

 oblique or ventricose. 



B. Infl. dense, spike-like. 



8. pustulate, Jacq. Bulb ^in. diam.: Ivs. 2, fleshy, 

 pustulate or blistered on the face, lanceolate: peduncle 

 3-6 in. ; fls. white or faintly tinged red, in a dense spike- 

 like raceme 2-3 in. long; perianth M m - l n gj outer 



2055. Lachenalia Nelsonii. ( X \ : i) 



segms. slightly longer than inner, and stamens some- 

 what exserted. B.M. 817. Perhaps synonymous with 

 No. 11. Var. violacea, Hort., is cult. 



BB. Infl. looser, evidently racemose. 



9. unifSlia, Jacq. Bulb globose, small: If. 1, linear- 

 subulate and erect, brown-banded and clasping at the 

 base: peduncle and infl. 6-12 in. long, carrying a lax 

 6-20-fld. raceme; fls. white, or more or less tinged with 

 red or blue; perianth about ^in. long; inner segms. 

 protruding, and the stamens of similar length. B.M. 

 766. 



10. convallarioides, Baker. Bulb globose, Kin. or 

 less long: If. 1, linear and erect, channelled: peduncle 

 46 in. long, bearing fls. in a short lax raceme; perianth 

 iMjin. long, purplish becoming white; inner and outer 

 segms. about same length; stamens included; fls. with 

 heath-like odor. There is a var. robusta, Baker> more 

 robust, with 20-30 fls., and Ivs. rarely 2. 



11. pallida, Ait. (L. lucida, Ker. L. racemdsa, Ker). 

 Bulb globose, ^in. diam. : Ivs. 2, pustulate or blistered, 

 strap-shaped: peduncle 6 in. long, bearing a moderately 

 dense raceme 2-3 in. long; fls. white, the perianth J^in. 

 long; outer segms. tipped green, shorter than the inner 

 segms.; stamens equaling inner segms. B.M. 1372; 

 1517. 



L. vlridis, Thunb.=Dipcadi filamentosum. Various species 

 have been more or less cult, under the name Scillopsis, but they 

 belong in Lachenalia. The generic names Orchiops and Orchiastrum 

 also belong here. WlLHELM MlLLER. 



L. H. B.f 



LACTUCA (from the old Latin name lac; referring to 

 the milky juice). Composite. LETTUCE. A well-known 

 group of hardy annual or perennial herbs, mostly 

 native of the northern hemisphere. 



Plants 2-4 or more feet high, with alternate, variously 

 shaped Ivs. and small-panicled heads of yellow, white or 

 blue fls.: involucre cylindric, its bracts imbricated in 

 several series; receptacle flat, naked; rays cut off even 

 at apex, and 5-tpothed. More than 200 specific 

 names have been given to the genus, probably half of 

 which are synonyms with but only 8 or 9 known in cult., 

 and these are doubtless forms of but 2 or 3 species. 

 Aside from garden lettuce, only 1 species appears to be 

 in the trade, though wild plants of other species are 

 often gathered for medicinal purposes. All of the 

 species possess narcotic and sedative properties, the 

 sedative known as lactucarium, or lettuce-opium, being 

 obtained principally from the European species, L. virosa. 

 Lettuce has been known and used as a salad from a 

 very remote period. It is said to have been served at 

 the tables of Persian kings 400 B. C. See Lettuce. 



A. Fls. yellow. 



sativa, Linn. LETTUCE. An annual plant, not known 

 in the wild state but generally supposed to have origi- 

 nated from L. Scariola, Linn., in Asia. There are 

 many garden forms assuming an endless variety of 

 forms but which may be divided into 4 rather distinct 

 types. 



Var. capitate, Hort. (L. capitata, DC.). COMMON 

 CABBAGE LETTUCE. Lys. entire or sparingly dentate, 

 broad, rounded, yellowish or brownish green, more or 

 less wrinkled and in some garden varieties much curled, 

 spreading, 6-14 in., usually quite compact. 



Var. intybacea, Hort. (L. intybdcea, Jacq. L. quer- 

 clna, Linn.). CUT-LEAVED LETTUCE. Lvs. 6-10 in. long, 

 deeply and irregularly cut on the edges, loosely 

 spreading. 



Var. rpmana, Hort. Cos LETTUCE. One to 2 ft. high: 

 Ivs. entire or sparingly dentate, much longer than 

 broad, quite erect, forming a cylindrical or conical- 

 shaped plant. 



Var. angustana, Hort. (L. angustana, Hort.). Lvs. 

 1-2 in. wide, 6-12 in. long, entire, slightly spreading in 

 habit. 



AA. Fls. blue or purple. 



Plumieri, Gren. & Godr. St. about 6 ft., stout: Ivs. 

 much cut, broadly oblong, bluish on the under side: 

 fl.-heads terminal, corymbose, the rays purple. S. 

 France. June Aug. 



L. Eourgxi (Boiss.) , is a thick-stemmed bristly-lvd. perennial often 

 6 ft. tall: heads small, with pinkish bracts and lilac rays. Medit. 

 region. L. canadensis, Linn. Biennial or annual 4-9 ft. high: Ivs. 

 entire or nearly so. Wild plants often gathered for salad. L. 

 perennis, Linn. Root perennial, 2-3 ft. high: Ivs. 8-10 in. long, 

 deeply cut: fls. large, light blue. Native of Eu. L. Scariola, Linn. 

 PRICKLY LETTUCE. Annual or biennial, sometimes 6 ft. high, the 

 st. stiff and often paniculately branched: Ivs. 1-2 in. wide, 4-6 

 in. long: fls. yellow, inconspicuous. Intro, from Old World, and 

 now a widely distributed weed. TT ri TDTSSJI 



N. TAYLOR.f 



LADY'S EARDROPS: Short-flowered fuchsias. L. Garters: 

 Phalaris arundinacea var. picta. L. Mantle: Alchemilla vulgaris. 

 L. Slipper: Cypripedium. L. Smock or Meadow-Cress: Cardamine 

 pratensis. L. Tresses: Spiranthes. 



