DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 229 



L. chinensis is used to make coarse fabrics for bags, etc., and also for cordage. L. 

 jenlcinsiana is the Tolo rat of Assam, and is used for making the peculiar umbrella 

 hats of the natives. 



Llanchama (Peru). See Cour atari. 



Locust (W. Ind.). Hymenasa courbaril. 



Lodoicea callipyge. Double Cocoanut Palm. 



Common names. — Coco de Mer, Coco des Maldives. 



This species of palm was unknown prior to the discovery of the Seychelles Islands 

 in 1743, but its immense "double cocoanuts" were often found floating upon the 

 waters of the Indian Ocean. 



The tree has a nearly cylindrical trunk, scarcely exceeding a foot in diameter, and 

 bearing a crown of fan-shaped leaves, some of which are upward of 20 feet long 

 and 12 feet wide. They are of two sexes, both of which have three sepals and three 

 petals to the flowers, those of the females being large, thick, and fleshy. The fruits, 

 externally are covered with a thick, fibrous husk, and contain usually one, but some- 

 times two or even three immense stones or nuts with excessively hard and thick 

 black shells, each being divided halfway down into two lobes, whence the popular 

 name. In olden times important medicinal virtues were attributed to these nuts, 

 water drunk out of vessels made of them being supposed to preserve people from all 

 complaints, and extravagant prices were consequently paid for them. At the present 

 day they are converted into various domestic utensils, while the wood serves many 

 useful purposes." (Treas. Botany.) 



Fiber.— From the dried leaves of this palm many useful or ornamental articles 

 are manufactured, such as hats, fans, baskets, cigar cases, etc., and the leaves are 

 also used for thatching. 



Lonicera quinquelocularis. Himalayan Honeysuckle. 



An Indian plant, also found in southern Afghanistan. It is worthy of only passing 

 mention, as its bast, which is shed in long fibrous strips, is only suitable for uphol- 

 stery purposes. 



Loof. The fiber of Luffa wgyptica. 



Loto (It.). Celtis australis. 



Lotus, the sacred (Egypt). See Nelumbium. 



Luff (Arab.). See Luffa. 



Luffa segyptica. The Spong-e Cucumber. Snake Gourd. 



Syn. Luffa cylindrica, etc. 



Exogen. Cucurbitacece. A climbing vine. 



The species of the genus are said to be natives of tropical Asia and Africa, though 

 L. cegyptica is grown in many parts of the world. Some of its names are as follows : 

 Sponge cucumber or Dish cloth plant, Papinjay, southern United States; Estrapajo, 

 Venezuela; Esponga vegetal, Argentina; Diin-dul, Bengal; Khujar, Persia; Luff, 

 Arabia; Hechima, Japan; etc. Fig. 2, PI. VIII, is a sponge cucumber grown by 

 the author, together with a specimen of the commercial sponge imported from 

 Japan. 



Fiber. — The dried fruit, after frost, is a network of interlacing fibers that can be 

 used without further preparation as a substitute for the sponge, for bath purposes; 

 sometimes used as a flesh brush in the Turkish bath. Some very fine examples of 

 these vegetable sponges were secured from the Japan exhibit, W. C. E., 1893 (under 

 the name L. petola), the fiber being used by the Japanese " for the heart of hats, the 

 sole of sacks, or 'Tabi' for stuffing saddles, in place of sponges for washing, etc." 



