584 



PBAOTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



LEDUM 



There is a variety called myrtifolia with 

 small Myrtle-like leaves and a more 

 dwarf and compact habit. The newer 

 variety called pol/ypetala resembles the 

 type in habit of growth, but the ilowers 

 are peculiar in having the corolla cut into 

 several segments instead of being 5-lobed 

 as in the normal forms. 



RHODOTHAMNUS (Ground 

 CisTXJS). — A genus with one species : — 



R. Chamaecistus {Bhododendron 

 ChamcEcistus). — A handsome evergreen 

 dwarf shrub about 6 in. high, native of 

 the Austrian Alps. Leaves shortly 

 stalked, elliptic lance-shaped entire, shin- 

 ing green, bristly ciliate. Flowers in May, 

 pink, nearly 1 in. across, solitary, on long 

 slender stalks at the ends of the branches. 

 Calyx 5-parted. CoroUa rotate 5-lobed, 

 with a very short tube. Stamens 10. 

 Ovary round, 5-oelled. 



Culture and Propagation. — This plant 

 grows well in damp peaty soil in shady 

 situations, and is most suitable for the 

 rockery. It may be increased like 

 Kalmias from seeds, cuttings, or layers, 

 and will flourish under the treatment 

 recommended for those pretty shrubs. 



LEIOPHYLLUM (Sand Myrtle). 

 A genus with 2 species of dwarf ever- 

 green shrubs, with small alternate 

 clustered, very shortly stalked, entire 

 leaves, and small flowers in terminal 

 corymbs. Calyx with 5 rigid acute lobes. 

 Petals 5, sessile, bluntly oblong. Stamens 

 10, hypogynous, protruding. Disc fleshy, 

 10-lobed. Ovary ovoid or roundish 2-5- 

 celled and lobed. 



L. buxifolium (L. thymifolium. ; 

 Ammyrsme buxifoUa ; Ledum buxi- 

 folium). — An erect bushy evergreen 6-12 

 in. high, native of New Jersey and the 

 mountains of Virginia. Leaves small, 

 oval, smooth, shining. Flowers in May 

 and June, white, tinged with pink at the 

 tips and outside. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species thrives in peat soil or sandy loam 

 in moist corners of the rockery, and may 

 be readily increased by layers in the 

 autumn; also by seeds sown in shallow 

 pans in cold frames when ripe, or in spring, 

 and kept moist. 



LEDUM (Labrador Tea). — A genus 

 containing 4 or 5 species of beautiful 

 evergreen shrubs, with alternate, shortly 

 stalljed, leathery leaves, rusty beneath, 



and flowers in terminal umbels. Calyx 

 minute, 5-toothed. Petals 5, obovate, 

 blunt, spreading. Stamens 5 or 10, 

 rarely 6-7, protruding. Ovary ovoid, 

 scaly, 5-celled. Capsule oblong erect. 



Culture and Propagation. — Ledums 

 thrive in moist peaty soil, or sandy loam, 

 and are chiefly increased by layering the 

 branches in autumn, and severing them in 

 spring if sufficiently well rooted. The fine 

 seeds may also be sown, but the seedlings 

 require a good deal of attention to make 

 them into thoroughly established plants. 

 Large tufts may be carefully divided in 

 autumn, and kept shaded until fairly well 

 established in their new quarters. 



L. glandulosum. — This newly intro- 

 duced species is a native of California, 

 British Columbia, and the northern Eocky 

 Mountains, in which parts of the world it 

 reaches a height of 2-6 feet. The ovate 

 leaves are 1-2 in. long, glossy green above, 

 somewhat glaucous beneath and covered 

 with glandular dots. The rusty down or 

 wool so conspicuous in the other species is 

 absent in this, as are also the cmrved back 

 edges. The pure white flowers each about 

 I in. across appear in May and June, and 

 are borne in clusters at the ends of the 

 shoots. Stamens 10. 



Culture rfc. as above. Although not 

 yet well known this species promises to 

 become a popular evergreen shrub. It 

 seems to be somewhat quicker growing 

 than the other species, and it is interesting 

 to record it as having flowered for the 

 first time in British gardens at the Boyal 

 Gardens, Kew, in 1897. 



L. latifolium. — A handsome shrub 1-3 

 ft. high, native of the United States. 

 Leaves linear oblong, with the edges 

 folded back ; under surface rusty-coloured. 

 Flowers in April and May, . white, in 

 terminal corymbs. Stamens 5. 



The variety canadense grows 3-6 in. 

 high, with ovate stalked leaves white 

 beneath, and large white flowers ; globo- 

 sum has white flowers in round heads ; 

 and angustifolium, has leaves narrower 

 than in the type. 



Culture die. as above. 



L. palustre. — A native of nijirshy parts 

 of the N. temperate zone. It grows into 

 a dense compact bush, about 2 ft. high, and 

 has linear leaves, with edges rolled back 

 and rusty beneath. Flowers in April 

 and May, white, or pinky-white, borne 

 in cltsters at the ends of the shoots, 



