908 



LEUCOPHYLLUM 



LEVISTICUM 



the valley of the lower Rio Grande more generally dis- 

 tributed, and certainly there is not one of them which 

 more delights the traveler in the early spring months, 

 when the large, violet-purple flowers of this plant 

 heighten the effect of its brilliant silvery foliage." 

 (G.F.3:488.) 



Leucophyllum has only 2 species. Lvs. all alternate, 

 ovate or obovate : calyx 5-cut ; corolla tube broad and 

 short; lobes 5, rounded; stamens 4, didynamous, in- 

 cluded, fixed at the base of the corolla: ovary 2-celled; 

 ovules numerous: capsule 2-valved : seeds oblong. 



Texanum, Benth. Loose-growing, straggling shrub, 

 4 or 5 ft. high in the wild, 8-10 ft. high in cult. Lvs. 

 %-l in. long, obovate : fls. axillary, slightly hairy within. 

 G.F.3:489. 



LEUCOSTEGIA (Greek, white roof; alluding to the 

 indusia). Polypodiacece. A small genus of Indian ferns 

 allied to Davallia, with a small, narrow, thin indusium 

 attached by its base, with the apex and sides free. The 

 leaves are mostly tri-quadripinnate. For cult., see 

 Davallia. 



parvula, Wallich. Rootstocks wide-creeping, scaly: 

 Ivs. nearly sessile, deltoid, less than 1 in. long, half as 

 wide, usually tripinnate. Singapore and Borneo. 



L. M. UNDERWOOD. 



LEUCOTHOE (Greek mythological name; daughter of 

 Nereus). Ericaceae. Including Agarista. Ornamental 

 low evergreen shrubs, with alternate, short-petioled, 

 usually serrate Ivs. and with white, rarely pink or scar- 

 let, usually nodding fls., in terminal or axillary racemes, 

 appearing mostly in spring. The S. American species, 

 which are very rare in cultivation, though they surpass 

 the other in beauty of the fls., are hardy only South, 

 while the other species can be grown as far north as 

 Mass, and western N. Y., the evergreen ones in sheltered 

 positions or with slight protection during the winter. 

 They are very handsome for borders of shrubberies or 

 as undergrowth in open woods. They thrive best in 

 somewhat moist, peaty or sandy soil, and prefer shaded 

 or partly shaded situations, but also grow in full sun if 

 the soil is not too dry. Prop, usually by seeds sown in 

 peaty, sandy soil in pans or boxes in spring, and treated 

 like those of Azalea or Rhododendron ; also by layers or 

 division ; the evergreen species grow from cuttings 

 under glass in late summer, but root rather slowly. 

 About 35 species in N. and S. America, Madag., Himal. 

 and Japan, formerly often united with Andromeda. Lvs. 

 evergreen or deciduous : fls. in axillary or terminal 

 racemes ; calyx 5-parted, imbricate ; corolla ovate or 

 cylindrical; stamens 10; anthers obtuse or 2-pointed at 

 the apex: capsule separating into 5 valves; seeds minute, 

 irregular. Most or the allied genera differ by the valvate 

 calyx, and Chamsedaphne by the valves of the capsule 

 separating into 2 layers, the inner one 10-valved. 



A. Lvs. evergreen : racemes axillary, sometimes clus- 

 tered, shorter than the Ivs. 

 B. Racemes dense, sessile, many-fid.: pith of 



branches solid. 



axillaris, Don (Andrdmeda axillaris, Lam.). Shrub, 

 to 5 ft., with spreading and usually recurving branches, 

 puberulous when young : Ivs. with short pubescent 

 petioles, oval to oblong-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, 

 serrulate toward the apex, glossy above, pale and sparsely 

 pubescent beneath when young, 2-4 in. long: racemes 

 1-2 in. long: sepals broadly ovate; corolla white, usually 

 greenish in bud, Min. long. April, May. Va. to Fla. and 

 Ala. - Var. longifdlia, Pursh. Lvs. "linear-lanceolate. 

 B.M. 2357. 



Catesbaei, Gray. To 6 ft., similar to the former, with 

 glabrous, slender and more arching branches : Ivs. 

 longer-petioled, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, ciliately 

 appressed-serrate, glossy above, usually light green 

 beneath, glabrous, 3-7 in. long: racemes larger: sepals 

 narrower; corolla over J4in. long, white, usually reddish 

 m bud. April, May. Va. to Ga. B.M. 1955^ L.B.C. 

 14: 1320. -This species is handsomer than the former, 

 and also somewhat hardier: Ivs. and fl.-buds assume 

 a beautiful purple hue, late in fall which is retained 

 through the winter. 



BB. Racemes peduncled, with rather feiv, slender- 



pedicelled fls.: pith laminate. 



acnminata, Don (L. poptilifolia, Dipp. Andrdmeda 

 acuminata, Ait.). Shrub, to 12 ft., with spreading 

 branches : Ivs. short-petioled, ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, entire or obscurely serrulate, glabrous, 2-4 in. 

 long : pedicels as long as corolla : calyx very short ; 

 corolla cylindrical, over %in. long. June. S. C. to Fla. 



AA. Lvs. deciduous: racemes mostly terminal, secund, 

 longer than the Ivs. (Subgenus JGubotrys.) 



racemosa, Gray ( Andrdmeda racembsa, Linn. L. spi- 

 cata, Don. Lyonia racemosa, Don). Shrub, to 10 ft., 1 

 with mostly erect branches : Ivs. oblong to ovate, acute, 

 serrulate, pubescent beneath, at least on the veins, 

 1-3 in. long: racemes erect, 2-4 in. long: corolla cylin- 

 drical, Kin. long. April-June. Mass, to Fla. and La. 

 Em. 423. 



recurva, Gray. Similar to the last, but lower and 

 more spreading: Ivs. elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 

 acuminate : racemes spreading and recurved : capsule 

 depressed and strongly lobed. April-June. Va. to Ala. 

 G.F. 9:225. It grows in drier situations, but otherwise 

 it is not superior to the former ; the foliage of both 

 assumes a splendid scarlet color in fall. 



L. Ddvisice, Torr. Evergreen shrub, to 5 ft. : Ivs. oblong, ob- 

 tuse, crenately serrulate: racemes slender, many-fld., clustered 

 in terminal panicles. May, June. Calif. B.M. 6247. L. Gray- 

 ana, Maxim. Half - evergreen : Ivs. large, broadly oval, ap- 

 pressed-pilose : racemes terminal, slender : fls. rather small. 

 June. Japan. I,, neriifolia DC. (Agarista neriifolia, Don). 

 Evergreen, glabrous shrub, with ovate-oblong, acuminate Ivs. 

 and bright scarlet fls. in erect, slender racemes at the end of the 

 branches. Brazil. B.M. 4593. L. piilchra, DC. (Agarista 

 pulchra, Don). Evergreen shrub, 2 ft. or more high, glabrous: 

 Ivs. ovate, mucronate, about 1 in. long: fls. white, in spreading, 

 peduncled, slender racemes, much longer than the Ivs. Caracas. 

 B.M. 4314. L.populifolia, Dipp.= L. acuminata, in main list. 



ALFRED REHDER. 



Leucothoe Catesbcei is one of our most ornamental 

 and popular hardy broad-leaved shrubby evergreens. It 

 is used for massing in connection with Rhododendrons, 

 Kalmias, etc., serving as a base for these taller varie- 

 ties. The shiny dark green leaves are borne with regu- 

 larity on a recurved stem often 2-3 ft. long, and some- 

 times coloring brilliant bronze and claret shades in 

 autumn when exposed to the direct rays of the sun. 

 Leucothoe sprays are largely used by florists in making 

 up designs and in connection with Galax leaves, usually, 

 however, in the more informal pieces. They were intro- 

 duced to the trade about 1890. The fragrant flowers are 

 in the leaf axils, borne along the stem in early spring, 

 and are usually conspicuous, considering* the fact that 

 the leaves are persistent. It is this graceful evergreen 

 spray effect, with the good color and dense habit, that 

 makes Leucothoe so desirable as a plant for massing, 

 and also the fact, perhaps, that it is fairly easy to trans- 

 plant. Seeds are produced freely, and can be sown in 

 sphagnum moss and sand under glass, as Rhododen- 

 drons and Azaleas are grown, pricked off in flats and 

 planted outdoors in early spring, when the plants are a 

 few inches high. Leucothoe is also propagated by di- 

 vision, underground runners and cuttings, the latter 

 being plunged in sand on the bench and given moderate 

 bottom heat. It is usually collected, however, in its na- 

 tive habitat, in small plants, transplanted to nursery rows 

 and grown for several seasons. HARLAN P. KELSEY. 



LEVEBWOOD. Ostrya Virginica. 



LEVfSTICUM (a modification of a name given by 

 Dioscoridesto some umbelliferous plant). Umbelliferce. 

 LOVAGE is a plant grown for its aromatic seeds, which 

 are used in confectionary. The leaf-stalks were for- 

 merly blanched and eaten like celery. It is a tall, hardy 

 perennial herb, with large, 2-3 times divided radical Ivs. 

 The plant may be propagated by seed sown as soon as 

 ripe, but when plants are already established root-di- 

 vision is less troublesome and risky. Division may be 

 made in the autumn, but better in the spring. The di- 

 vided plants and the seedlings, when 2 or 3 in. tall, 

 should be set in checks 3 ft. apart in deep, rich soil. 

 When well established the plants remain profitable for 

 many years, demanding but little attention. The genus 



