124 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



LUN 



vated because of their offensive odor. They are 

 ornamental climbers, covering and adorning the 

 trunks of the Palm trees in India. When ripe, 

 the inside of the fruit is closely netted and 

 fibrous, and is used for scouring cooking uten- 

 sils. Hence, some of the species are called 

 Spanqe Gourds and Dish-rw Plants. 

 Lunaria. Moonwort, Honesty. From tuna, the 

 moon ; referring to the shape of the seed-ves- 

 sels. Linn. Tetradynamta. w -* n ~ l -"- 



Nat. Ord. Brassica- 



Of this old garden plant there are but two spe- 

 cies, one a hardy biennial, L. biennis, with blue 

 and white, and white flowers, and interesting 

 for their large oval, silvery seed pouches, which 

 are quite ornamental, and are much used in bou- 

 quets of dried Ferns and Grasses, as they last a 

 long time if kept dry. The seed of this species 

 should be sown in early summer for flowering 

 the next year. It is a native of Germany, and 

 is mentioned by the earliest botanical writers. 

 The other species is a hardy herbaceous peren- 

 nial of but little merit. 



Lupine. See Lnpinus. 



Lupinus. Lupine. From lupus, a wolf; devas- 

 tates land as a wolf does the fold; literally, de- 

 stroyer. Linn. Moitaddpkia-Decandria. Nat. Ord. 



A genus of herbaceous annuals and peren- 

 nials, which contain some of our most beautiful 

 border flowers; yellow, blue, white, and pink 

 Lupines are among the oldest border annuals. 

 L. nanus is n beautiful little annual, with dark 

 blue flowers, a native of California, and requires 

 the usual treatment of Californian annuals. L. 

 mutabilis and L. Orulkskankii are splendid 

 plants, growing to the height of four or five 

 feet, and branching like miniature trees ; L. 

 polyphyllus and its varieties are perennials, and 

 they are splendid and vigorous-growing plants, 

 with spikes of flowers from one foot to eighteen 

 inches in length ; L. Nootkatensis is a handsome 

 dwarf perennial, and L. arboreus, when trained 

 against a wall, will attain six feet in height, and 

 in sheltered situations it will grow with equal 

 vigor when trained as a bush tied to a stake; L. 

 latifolius is a perennial from California, with 

 very long spikes of blue flowers. 



Luzula. From the Gramen Luzulw of Bauhin, the 

 Glow-worm Grass. Linn. Baundrta-Mmogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. tfcjMOGAEB. 



A genus of herbaceous perennial plants allied 

 to the Rushes. They are of but little beauty. 

 They are common throughout the United States. 

 From their being usually found in dry grounds 

 and woods, they are commonly known by the 

 name Woodrush. 



Lycaste. Named after a beautiful woman of Si- 

 cily. Linn. Gynandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. 

 Orchidacece. 



Very handsome epiphytes of the pseudo-bulb- 

 ous class. They grow with freedom when pot- 

 ted in a well-drained mixture of leaf-mould, 

 sphagnum, and rotten wood, interspersed with 

 which should be a considerable number of small 

 pieces of charcoal or potsherds. Being natives 

 of the Western Hemisphere, the species do not 

 require a very high temperature, that of an or- 

 dinary green-house being fully sufficient ; neither 

 do they require so decided a rest as some other 

 individuals of the order, but should be freely 

 supplied with both water and air when growing. 

 There are about twenty-five species in this 

 genus, all natives of Central and South America 

 First introduced in 1828. 



LYG 



Lychnis. From lyclims, a lamp; referring to the 

 brilliancy of the flowers of some of the species. 

 Linn. Decandria-Pentagynia. Nat. Ord. Oaryo- 

 phylkicecK. 



A group of very ornamental herbaceous 

 plants, quite hardy, and deserving a place in 

 every garden. The species vary in character 

 very much, some of them attaining a height of 

 three or four feet, as in the case of the common 

 Scarlet Lychnis, (L. Ohalcedonica, ) an old garden 

 favorite from Russia, valuable because there are 

 so few flowers of that color among our hardy 

 herbaceous plants. There is a fine double va- 

 riety of this species, also a single white. L. 

 Haayeana is also fine. Many others are low -grow- 

 ing, not more than six inches in height. L. 

 fjmndiflora and L. fulgens are very handsome, 

 and the very pretty L. ccdi-rosea should be in- 

 cluded in the list of annuals for every garden. 

 L. Senna;, introduced from Japan in 1865, is 

 beautifully striped white and crimson. Propa- 

 gated by cuttings or seeds. 



Lycium. Box Thorn. From lycion, a name given 

 "by Dioscorides to a thorny shrub, and applied 

 to the genus because of its containing some 

 thorny shrubs. Linn. Pentandria- Monogyniu. 

 Nat. Ord. SolanacecK. 



There are numerous species in this genus, all 

 hardy or green-house shrubs, mostly of little 

 value as ornamental plants. L. barbantm is a 

 plant of rapid growth, green foliage, and small 

 lilac flowers. It is a climber, and was grown 

 considerably in England to cover trellises and 

 arbors. It is commonly called Tea Plant, and 

 its leaves were recommended as a substitute for 

 tea; the advice, however, was but little heeded. 

 L. Carolinianum, a handsome shrub, is common 

 in the swamps from Carolina to Florida. L. 

 vulgare, a native of Europe, and an escape from 

 our gardens into the hedge-rows and waste 

 places in some of the States, is popularly known 

 as Matrimony Vine. 



Lycopersicum. See Tomato. 



Lycopodium. Club Moss. From lykos, a wolf, 

 andpons, a foot; the roots having a resemblance 

 to that animal's paw. Linn. Cryptogamia-Lycopo- 

 dinea. Nat. Ord. Lycopodiacece, 



An extensive genus of neat little evergreen, 

 moss-like herbaceous plants, some of which are 

 found in all parts of the world. Several of the 

 species are common in the green-house, and 

 are exceedingly ornamental and useful in fill- 

 ing Ferneries, Wardian Cases, and the various 

 devices in rustic work. L. detisum, one of the 

 most beautiful that has been introduced into 

 the green-house, is a native of New Holland, in- 

 troduced in 1820. L. dendroideum, remarkable 

 for its tree-like appearance, is largely employed 

 in making "Christmas greens," and in bouquet 

 work by the florists. It is very common in 

 swampy places, particularly in New England. 

 The spores of the common Club Moss are very 

 inflammable, and are used on the stage to pro- 

 duce artificial lightning. See SelagindUi. 



Lycoris. The name of a woman in Roman his- 

 tory. Linn. Ilexandrla-Monogynla. Nat. Ord. 

 Aniaryttidacea;. 



A small genus of hardy bulbs from China, 

 producing several showy flowers, in an umbel, 

 on a slender scape from twelve to eighteen 

 inches high, the color being yellow or light 

 straw, and pink. They are allied to the Valloto, 

 and require the same treatment. Introduced in 

 1758. 



Lygodictyon. From Lygodiwn and dictyon, a 



