114 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



LAB 



Lablab. A genus of tropical pulse, more usually 

 included in Ddichos, which see. 



Labrador Tea, Ledum latifdia. This is a shrub 

 growing from two to five feet high, common in 

 swamps and bogs, North and West. The leaves 

 were formerly used as ft substitute for Tea, 

 whence the common name. 



Laburnum. See C)/lisus Laburnum. 



Laceena. One of the names of Helen, applied be- 

 cause of the beauty of the plant. Linn. Gynan- 

 ^iri<^-^fonc^g^/n^a. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A genus of epiphytal Orchids. L. bicolor, the 

 original species, is a native of Guatemala, and 

 has long, pendulous racemes of flowers of a 

 greenish-yellow color, the lip marked with 

 purple about the center. They require a hot- 

 house, and should be grown in flat baskets or 

 pans, in leaf mould and sphagnum moss. In- 

 creased by division in spring, after blooming. 

 Introduced in 1843. 



Lace Bark. See Lagetta. 



Lace-leaved Plant. See Ouvirandra. 



Lachenalia. Named after M.dela Chenal, a botan- 

 ical author. Linn. Htuindrla-Monoyynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Liliacece. 



An extensive genus of very interesting and 

 showy bulbous plants from the Cape of Good 

 Hdpe. L. pendula, L. tricolor, and L. quadricolor are 

 the kinds mostly cultivated in the green-house. 

 They have long lanceolate leaves, often spotted, 

 and erect flower scapes bearing pendulous flow- 

 ers, the yellow color predominating. They 

 should be potted in October, in light fibrous 

 soil, and only moderately watered until after 

 flowering, then more freely until they show 

 signs of ripening off. They should be kept in 

 the pots dry during summer. Propagated by 

 offsets. Introduced in 1774. 



Lachnaea. From lachne, down, referring to the 

 downy clothing of the flower heads. Linn. Oc- 

 tandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Thymelacece. 



An interesting genus of green-house ever- 

 green shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope, all 

 but one with white flowers. The heads of the 

 flowers are usually covered with fine wool, giv- 

 ing them a singular appearance. They are in- 

 creased by cuttings, and should be kept in shade 

 during summer. 



Lachnanthes. The Red Root. From lachne, wool, 

 and anthos, a flower; in allusion to the flowers, 

 which are woolly. Linn. Triandria-Monoaunia. 

 Nat. Ord. Hamidoraceat. 



L. tincloria, or Red Root, is common in sandy 

 swamps from New Jersey southward. The roots 

 ^were formerly used for a red dye, whence the 

 'popular name. " L. tindori/t, commonly known 

 as Paint Root, abounds in the Southern States, 

 iind is said to have an important bearing on the 

 agriculture of those States, from the singular 

 fact claimed for it, that when its roots are eaten 

 by white pigs, it fatally poisons them; while 

 black pigs eat the roots with impunity; and 

 hence the preponderance of black pigs in the 

 Southern States. This extraordinary statement 

 is made by Charles Darwin, who gives Dr. Jef- 

 fries Wyman as his authority. The same testi- 

 mony has recently been given by Dr. P. States- 

 bury, of Clinch Co., Geo. American ArjricuUur- 

 ist, March, 1876. 



KZEL 



Lactuca. Lettuce. From lac, milk; referring to 

 the milky juice. Linn. Syngenesia-Jfiqualis. Nat. 

 Ord. Asteracew. 



The native country of the Lettuce is unknown ; 

 and from what species the garden varieties orig- 

 inated is merely conjectural. According to 

 Herodotus, it was in use 550 years before Christ; 

 yet Pliny says the ancient Romans knew but 

 one sort. In his time it was cultivated so as to 

 be had at all seasons of the year, and even 

 blanched to make it more tender. In the privy- 

 purse expenses of Henry VIII., in 1530, is men- 

 tion of a reward to the gardener of York Place 

 for bringing "Lettuze" and Cherries to Hamp- 

 ton Court. Gerarde, in his Herbal, 1597, gives 

 an account of eight sorts cultivated in his day. 

 Parkinson, in 1629, says: "There are so many 

 sorts, and so great diversitie of Lettice, that I 

 doubt I shall scarce be beleeved of a great many. 

 For I doe in this Chapter reckon up unto you 

 eleaven or twelve differing sorts; some of little 

 use, others of more, being more common and 

 vulgar; and some that ai-e of excellant use and 

 service, which are more rare, and require more 

 knowledge and care for the ordering of them, 

 as also for their time of spending, as some in 

 the spring, some in summer, others in autumne, 

 and some being whited for the winter. For all 

 these sorts I shall not neede many descriptions, 

 but only shew you which doe cabbage, and 

 which are loose; which of them are great or 

 small, white, greene, or red, and which of them 

 bear white seeds, and which of them blacke." 

 We cannot quote the whole chapter, but cannot 

 omit one of the "Vertuesof the Lettice," viz.: 

 " They all cool a hot and fainting stomacke." 

 Loudon says: " L. sat'wa is well known as fur- 

 nishing, among its numerous varieties, the best 

 vegetable of the salad kind grown in the open 

 garden. It is questioned by some whether the 

 greater number of what are set down as species 

 in this genus, are anything more than varia- 

 tions of one type; and, at all events, it is thought 

 L. virosa is the parent of our cultivated sorts." 

 All writers agree that the Cos Lettuce comes from 

 one of the Greek islands bearing that name. It 

 is by far the most delicately flavored of the whole 

 class, though not well suited for our hot sum- 

 mers. The best kinds at present for our climate 

 are "Silesia," " Curled India," and" While Cab- 

 bage." Hundreds of acres of glass are devoted to 

 the forcing of Lettuce in the United States. 

 The variety used mostly for that purpose is 

 known as " Boston Market. " 



Ladies' or Venus's Slipper. See Cypripedium. 



Ladies' Tresses. See tfpiranthes. 



Lady Slipper. See Balsamina. 



Ladies' Smock. See Cardamine. 



Lady Washington Geranium. A variety name 

 for one of the large-flowered or fancy Pelargo- 

 niums, and for a long time in this country a com- 

 mon name for the whole of that class. It is to 

 some extent still in use, though the variety bear- 

 ing the name has long since been discarded; 

 consequently it is improper to thus continue to 

 use a specific name for a generic. 



Lselia. Named by Lindley, who does not give 

 the derivation. Linn. OynondHo-JIbnonaria. 

 Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



