LOCUST OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 249 



veys the idea of tlie trees being in bloom. Its fruit is about the 

 size of a walnut, and contains a honey-like, glutinous, white 

 pulp, which is esteemed by the Fijians. 



Lithi, a name in Chili for Rhus caustica, a stiff shrub with 

 firm oval leaves of a brownish colour, belonging to the Cashew 

 ^Rut family (Anacardiaceee). It is dreaded by the natives for 

 its baneful effects in blistering the skin, equal to those of the 

 Poison Oak {Rhus toxicodendron). 



Litmus. (Sec Orchil.) 



Liverworts, a general name for the plants comprehended 

 under the family Hepaticese, of the class Cryptogamia of Linnaeus, 

 now separated under two distinct families, Marchantiaceae and 

 Jungermannieae. Nearly 700 species are recorded, natives of 

 moist and shady places in most hot and temperate climates ; 

 many are epiphytal, and in some respects they may be com- 

 pared to mosses. They possess no economic properties, but are 

 highly interesting to the microscopic botanist ; such, for instance, 

 as the numerous species of the extensive genus Jungermannia, 

 many of which are natives of this country. The common 

 Liverwort {Marchmitia polymorpha) grows in moist situations, in 

 gardens, sometimes in pots, and even in the hothouse. Another 

 common species is Riccicc fiiiitans, which grows in pools and 

 ditches. 



Locust, Honey {Gleditschia triacantJios), a large thorny tree 

 of the Bean family (Leguminosae), native of North America, 

 attaining a height of 60 feet. The wood is hard, and prin- 

 cipally used for making fences, posts, etc. The stem and main 

 branches are furnished from top to bottom with tripartite, rigid 

 spines, 3 to 4 inches in length, presenting a most formidable 

 barrier to the ascent of climbing animals. The pods are thin, 

 flat, curved, and twisted, a foot or more in length ; they contain 

 numerous seeds, embedded in a sweet pulpy substance, from 

 which a kind of sugar is extracted. 



Locust Trees, a name given by early botanists in America 

 to trees bearing pods similar to the locust tree of Palestine 

 Ceratonia Siliqiia (see Carob Tree). West Indian (see Cour- 



