116 



SELECT PLANTS READILY ELIGIBLE 



Lavandula Stoechas, Linne. 



South Europe, North Africa. Topped Lavender. This shrub 

 can also be utilised for oil-distillation and other purposes, for 

 which the two other Lavenders are used. The quality of the 

 oil of these species seems to differ according to their locality 

 of growth. 



Lavatera arborea, Linne. 



Tree-Mallow of Middle Europe and the countries at the 

 Mediterranean Sea. A tall biennial plant of rapid gi'owth. 

 The ribbon-like bast is produced in greater abundance than in 

 most other malvaceous plants. The Tree-Mallow might easily 

 be naturalised on our shores. Perhaps it might serve with 

 allied plants for green manure. 



Lawsonia alba, Lamarck. 



North and Middle Africa, Persia, Arabia, India and Noi-th- 

 Western Australia. The Henne or Henna-Bush. It may 

 become of use as a dye-plant in parts of our colony free of 

 frost The orange pigment is obtained from the ground 

 foliage. The plant can also be used for garden-hedges. 



Leersia oryzoides, Swartz. 



Middle and South Europe, various parts of Asia, Africa and 

 America. A perennial nutritious swamjD-grass. Other Leer- 

 sias from both hemispheres are deserving of introduction. 



Lepidium latifolium, Linne. 



Europe, North Africa, Middle and North Asia. A perennial 

 herb of peppery acridity, much used for some select sauces. 



Lepidium sativum, Linne. 



The Cress. Orient. Annual. Irrespective of its culinary 

 value, Cress is of use as one of the remedies in cases of scurvy. 

 Active principle : a volatile oil and the bitter Lepidin. 



Lepidosperma gladiatum, La Billardiere. 



The Sword-Sedge of the sea-coasts of extra-troj)ic Australia. 

 One of the most important plants for binding sea-sand, also 

 yielding a paper material as good as SjDarta. 



Leptospermum laevigatum, E. von Mueller. (Fabrida 

 Icevigata, Gaertner. ) 

 • The "Sandstay." Sea-shores and sand-deserts of extra-tropic 

 Australia, but not extending to Western Australia. This 

 shrub or small tree is the most effectual of all for arresting 

 the progress of drift-sand in a clime like ours. It is most 

 easily raised by simply scattering in autumn the seeds on the 

 sand and covering them loosely with boughs. 



Lespedeza striata, Hooker and Arnott.'^ 



China and J apan. An annual herb, which in North America 

 has proved of gi-eat use. Mr. Meehan states it to be identical 



