LEUC] 



€§z toaSurp al SSotang. 



678 



lower surface, with large stipules ; and the 

 flowers are unisexual, grouped in axillary 

 globular heads, the males stalked, and the 

 females sessile. The ovary contains a single 

 ovule. [M. T. M.] 



LEUCOTHAMNUS. A name proposed by 

 Lindley for two or three species of Thoma- 

 sia, In which the cup formed by the united 

 base of the filaments is more adnate to the 

 calyx, thus rendering the insertion of the 

 stamens more perigynous than in the 

 other species. 



LEUCOTHOE. One of the subgenera of 

 Andromeda. 



LEUZEA. A genus of unarmed peren- 

 nial composite herbs related to thistles, 

 found in Eastern Australia, and in the Me- 

 diterranean region, and Siberia. Their un- 

 branched stems are furnished with entire 

 or pinnatifid leaves, and terminate in a 

 single rather large ovate or globose flower- 

 head, which contains numerous purple 

 tubular florets..enelosed by an involucre of 

 many series of silvery scales extended into 

 thin dry membranous tips. The nature of 

 these scales serves to distinguish the genus 

 from some of its allies, and the feathery 

 pappus-hairs which crown the four-sided 

 achenes from others. [A. A. B.] 



LEVENHOOKIA. A small genus of 

 Stylidiacece consisting of minute herba- 

 ceous plants natives of King George's 

 Sound, South-west Australia, and distin- 

 guished by having a five-cleft calyx with 

 two lips ; the limb of the corolla five-parted 

 and irregular, the fifth segment or lip being 

 dissimilar to the others, arched and longer 

 than the erect column ; the lobes of the 

 anthers lie one above the other ; there are 

 two hair-shaped stigmas, and a one-celled 

 capsule. The leaves are alternate, crowded 

 at the tops of the branches, and inter- 

 mixed with fascicles of flowers. [R. H.] 



LEVERWOOD. Ostrya virginica. 



LEVISTICUM. A genus of umbellifers, 

 distinguished by having each half of the 

 fruit with five wings, the two lateral of 

 which are broader than the others. The 

 only species is an herb, native of the 

 Pyrenees ; it contains an abundant yellow 

 juice, and is employed as a domestic 

 remedy. [G. D.] 



LEWISI A rediviva, the Bitter-root plant 

 or Racine amere of the Canadians, the 

 Spatlum or Spst'lum of the Oregon In- 

 dians, is the only species of this singular 

 genus of Hesembryacece. It is a somewhat 

 succulent stemless perennial, with a fleshy 

 tapering root, from the summit of which 

 arise numerous clusters of narrow succu- 

 lent green leaves; and in the centre a 

 fleshy stalk, jointed above the middle, and 

 bearing a solitary rose-coloured flower, sur- 

 rounded by aninvolucre of five to seven nar- 

 row scales. As soon as the flower opens, the 

 leaves begin to wither and dry up, usually 

 lasting only a few days, the entire period 

 of the plant's existence above ground not 

 exceeding six weeks, viz. from early in May 



I till the middle of June. The flower, which 

 remains open only during sunshine, has a 

 persistent calyx, a corolla of eight to ten 



! spreading petals, numerous stamens, and a 



j one-celled ovary, in which respect it differs 



J from allied genera. 



| This extremely curious plant is a native 

 of the Upper Oregon territory, and its roots, 

 which are largely collected by the Indians, 

 afford a wholesome though bitter-tasted 

 food, being composed almost entirely of 

 starch. Whenfresh, these roots are covered 

 with a dark-brown skin, and are bright-red 

 within, but when skinned and dried for 

 preservation they are nearly white. The 

 specific name, rediviva, was given to the 

 plant in consequence of the growth of 

 some dried and apparently dead roots taken 

 from an herbarium specimen. [A. S.] 



LEYCESTERIA. A genus of Caprifolia- 

 cece, having the border of the calyx five- 

 parted, the pieces narrow and unequal ; and 

 the fruit a berry with five cells and nume- 

 rous seeds. The only species is a shrub, 

 chiefly confined to the higher parts of Ne- 

 pal, and now well known as an ornament of 

 our shrubbery gardens. The name was 

 given in honour of the late Mr. Leycester, 

 of the Indian civil service, and a patron of 

 horticulture. [G. D.] 



LEYSSERA. A genus of Composite, of 

 the tribe Seneciovea?, distinguished by the 

 ray-florets being ligulate, female or neuter, 

 with a pappus of short simple bristles, 

 whilst the tubular and hermaphrodite disk- 

 florets have a pappus of long plumose 

 bristles, alternating with chaffy scales. It 

 consists of three or four African herbs or 

 undershrubs, with slender branches termi- 

 nating in a long peduncle with a single yel- 

 low flower-head. The leaves are linear, and 

 usually irregularly clustered. 



LEZARDELLE. (Fr.) Saururus. 



LHOTSKYA. A genus of Myrtacece, of the 

 section Chammlauciacece, peculiar to South- 

 western Australia, and consisting of trees 

 and shrubs with acerose or tetragonous 

 leaves, and yellow or violet flowers, ar- 

 ranged in terminal heads. The calyx, sup- 

 ported by two bracts, has ten ribs, and is 

 five-cleft ; the petals are five ; the stamens 

 indefinite ; and the fruit an oblong ten- 

 ribbed capsule, indehiscent, one-celled, and 

 often only one-seeded. [B. S.] 



LIABUM. A genus of Composite, dif- 

 fering from AndromacMa in the pappus, 

 which consists of a single series of filiform 

 bristles ; and like AndromacMa usually re- 

 ferred to Vernoniacew, on account of the 

 style, but the opposite leaves, yellow ra- 

 diating flower-heads, and anthers with 

 points at the base, are much more those of 

 some Senecionidece. There are several spe- 

 cies, all South American, and not all suffi- 

 ciently distinct from AndromacMa. 



LIANE. A woody twining or climbing 

 plant like those which occur in tropical 

 forests. 



LIANE A BLESSTJRES. (Fr.) A West 



