278 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



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. Best adapted 

 for mild moist regions. The plant would particularly prosper in the 

 main Rhododendron-zone, and with us in the Waratah-country. 



Lardizabala biternata, Ruiz and Pavon. 



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

 naturalised in forests for obtaining the tough fibre for cordage. In 

 its native country the torrified stems are used instead of ropes, 

 according to Dr. Philippi. 



Laserpitium aQuilGgifoliuin, Murray. (Siler trilobum, Scopoli.) 



Middle and Southern Europe. The stems of this perennial herb 

 are edible. The fruit serves as a condiment. 



Lasiocorys Capensis, Bentham. 



South- Africa. Professor MacOwan 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 

 plentifnl times. 



Lathyrus Cicera, Linn6. 



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

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

 palatable fodder on sandy soil. 



Lathyrus latifolius, Linn<5. 



South-Europe, South- Western Asia. A perennial herb, not with- 

 out importance for fodder [Prof. Wittmack]. Bees resort much to 

 the flowers [G-. Don], 



Lathyrus macrorrhizus, Wimmer. (Orobus tuberosus, Linn.) 



Europe, Western Asia. This herb would gradually establish pas- 

 turage in sterile forest-regions, and could with some allied species be 

 disseminated also in alpine elevations. 



Lathyrus maritimus, Bigelow. (Pisum maritimum, Linn. ) 



The Beach-Pea. Northern Europe, Asia and America, extending 

 to the Adriatic Sea and to the arctic regions. A perennial coast- 

 herb, sought by herbs and flocks, particularly eligible for naturalisa- 

 tion on pebbly shores of the sea. The cognate L. palustris (Linne) 

 from Northern Europe, North-Asia and North- America is a perennial 

 pasture-herb, fit for wet meadows, according to Mr. A. Carlsson. 



