194 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



America and the West-Indies. Some could be chosen to aid in adorn- 

 ing and diversifying our gardens. Krameria is placed by Eichler 

 among caesalpinous Leguminosse. 



Lactuca sativa, C. Bauhin. 



Southern Asia. The ordinary annual Lettuce, in use since remote 

 antiquity. It is not without value for medicinal purposes, especially 

 as a sedative. L. Scariola (Linne) seems to be the wild state of the 

 garden-lettuce, and is a native of all the countries around the Medi- 

 terranean Sea. Mess. Dippe in Quedlinburg devote exclusively 

 130 acres to the culture of lettuce merely for seed. Mons. Vilmorin 

 notes the seeds to retain their power of germination for about five 

 years. L. altissima, Bieberstein, is a variety attaining a height of 

 9 feet. All yield lactucarium. 



Lactuca virosa, Linn. 



Middle and South-Europe, North- Africa, Middle-Asia. A biennial. 

 The inspissated juice particularly of this lettuce forms the sedative 

 lactucarium. 



Lapageria rosea, Ruiz and Pavon. 



The Copigue. Chili. Almost the only plant, which can exist in 

 the area covered by the sulphurous smoke of the local smelting fur- 

 naces (Dr. R. O. Cunningham). A half-woody climber with large 

 showy flowers. The berries, which attain the size of a hen's egg, 

 are sweet and edible. The plant bears slight frosts. 



Lardizabala biternata, Ruiz and Pavon. 



Chili. A climber with stems of enormous length. Might be na- 

 . turalized in forests for obtaining the tough fibre for cordage. In its 

 native country the terrified stems are used instead of ropes, according 

 to Dr. Philippi. 



Laserpitium aquilegium, Murray. 



Middle and Southern Europe. The stems of this perennial herb 

 are edible. The fruits serve as a condiment. 



Lasiocorys Capensis, Bentham. 



South-Africa. Professor McOwan directs attention to the economy 

 of this plant, it having a singular propensity of rendering rainwater 

 retained in small gutters; the Lasiocorys compacts the detritus and 

 impedes also soil washed onward, forming natural little catch-dams. 

 The plant is bitter, hence not consumed by goats and sheep in plenti- 

 ful times. 



Xiathyrus Cicera, 



Countries at or near the Mediterranean Sea, also Canary-Islands. 

 An annual, similar in its use to L. sativus, furnishing a tender palat- 

 able fodder on sandy soil. L. Clymenum, L., from the same regions, 

 serves similar purposes. 



