L A V 
L A U 
5 » 
pdorata, or sweet-scented pea. 3. The tan- 
git aims, or Tangier pea, also an annual, ami 
weli known. 
LATITAT, a writ whereby all men in per- 
sonal 'actions are t ailed originally to the king’s 
bench. F.N. 13. 78. 
A latitat may be considered either as the 
commencement of the action, or only as a 
process to bring the defendant into court, at 
the election of the plaintiff. Inn. N. P. 151. 
If it is stated as the commencement oi the 
action to avoid a tender, the defendant may 
deny that the plaintiff had any cause of action 
at the time ot suing it out. 1 W i is. 141. 
Or if it is replied to a plea of the statute of 
limitations, the defendant, in order to main- 
tain his plea, may aver the real time of suing 
it out, in opposition to the test. 2 Burr. 950. 
See Impey’s 13. R. andC. B. Practice. 
LATITUDE. See Geography. 
Latitude. See Astronomy. 
LA I FEN denotes iron plates tinned over, 
of which tea-canisters are made. 
Latten-brass, plates of milled brass, re- 
duced to different thickness, according to 
the uses it is intended for. 
LATUS RECTUM, in conic sections, the 
same with parameter. See Conic Sec- 
tions. 
Latus transversum, in the hyperbola, 
that part of the transverse diameter, inter- 
cepted between the vertices of the two oppo- 
site sections. 
LA VAN' I ) U LA , lavender: a genus of the 
angiospennia order, in the didynamia class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 42 1 order, verticiilatax The calyx 
is ovate, and a little dentated, supported by 
a bractea or floral leaf; the corolla is resupi- 
nated ; the stamina within the tube. 
'The species are seven in number, among 
which are: 1. The spica, or spike lavender, 
has a short shrubby stalk. The varieties of 
this are : common narrow-leaved lavender, 
with blue flowers, and with white flowers; 
broad-leaved lavender; dwarf lavender : all 
of them flowering in -July. This species is 
the common lavender; but the narrow-leaved 
variety, with blue flowers, is the sort com- 
monly cultivated for its flowers for medicine. 
2. 'The stoechas, or French lavender, has a 
shrubby very branchy stalk, rising two or 
three feet high ; v- ry narrow, spear-sh tped, 
po-inted, hoary leaves, opposite; and all the 
brandies terminated by short bushy spikes 
of purple flowers in June and July, succeed- 
ed'!))', seeds in August. There is a variety 
with white flowers. 3. The dentata, or den- 
tate-leaved stoechas, has a woody stalk, 
branching on every side three or four feet 
high; leaves deeply indented in a pinnated 
manner; and the branches terminated by 
scaly four-cornered spikes of flowers, appear- 
ing most part of summer. 
The first two species are proper for the 
kitchen-garden, and for medicinal and other 
family uses, and to plant in the pleasure- 
ground to adorn the front of small shrubbery 
compartments, where they will increase the 
variety very agreeably; and are finely scent- 
ed aromatics, both when growing, and their 
flowers when gathered; especially those of 
the first species, which are in great esteem 
for putting among clothes, and for distilling, 
and other economical uses. The flowers of 
the first sort are gathered for use in July. 
L A U 
T.AVATF.KA, a genus of the polyaudrh j 
or. h r, in the p.-ly.b.'ipnj^Ciass of plants, and j 
in the natural method ranking under the 37th 
order, colunmiferax i lie exterior calyx is 
double and trilid ; the anlli or scud-coats are 
verv many and moiiospermpus. r i here are 
9 species,* mpst of them herbaceous flowery 
annuals, or shrubby perennials, growing erect 
from two or three to eight or ten feet high. 
They are easily propagated by seed in the 
open ground in the spring, and thrive best 
when sown where they are designed to re- 
main. 
LAUDANUM. See Pharmacy. 
T, ALGERIA, a genus of the mon.ogynia 
order, in the pentandria class of pl^mts, and 
in the natural method ranking among those 
of which the order is doubtful. The corolla 
is quinquefid ; the fruit is a plum with acpiin- 
queiocular kernel. 'I here are two species, 
shrubs of the \\ est Indies. 
LAUNCH, in the sea-language, signifies 
to put out: as, launch the ship, that is, put 
her out of the dock; launch aft, or forward, 
speaking of tilings thatare stowed in the hold, 
is, put them more forward ; launch, ho! is a 
term used when a yard is hoisted high enough, 
and signifies hoist no more. 
LAU N DER, among miners, a place where 
they wash the powdered ore. 
LAU RE AT ION, in the universities of 
Scotland, signifies the act of taking the degree 
of master ot arts, which the students are per- 
mitted to do after four years study. 
TAURUS, the bdif-lree, a genus of lhe_ 
monogvnia order, in the enneandria class ot 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 12t!i order, holoracoae. There is no 
calyx; the corolla is calycine, or serving in 
place of the calyx, and sexpartite: the nec- 
tarium with three glandules, each terminated 
by two bristles surrounding the germen. The 
interior filaments furnished with glandules at 
t.he base; the fruit a monospermous plum. 
There are 32 species, of which the most 
noted are: 1. The nobilis, or evergreen bay- 
tree, a native of Italy, and has an upright 
trunk branching on every side from the bot- 
tom upward, with spear-shaped, nervous, 
stiff, evergreen leaves, three inches long, and 
two broad; and small, yellowish, quadrilid, 
dioecious flowers, succeeded by red berries in 
autumn and winter. Of this species there 
are varieties, with broad, narrow, striped, or 
waved leaves. 2. The aestivalis, or deci- 
duous bay, grows naturally in North Ame- 
rica. It rises with an upright stein, covered 
with a purplish bark, having oblong, oval, 
acuminated, veined, deciduous leaves, two or 
three inches long, and half as broad, growing 
opposite, with small white flowers succeeded 
by red berries. 3. The benzoin, or benjamin 
tree, is also a native of North America; 
grows 15 or 20 feet high, divided into a very 
branchy head, with oval, acute, deciduous 
leaves, three or four inches long, and half as 
broad ; and small yellowish flowers, not suc- 
ceeded by berries in this country. This, it is 
to be remarked, is not the tree which bears 
the gum benzoin, that being a species of hy- 
rax. 4. The sassafras is a native of the same 
country. It has a shrub-like straight stem, 
with both oval and three-lobed, shining, deci- 
duous leaves, of different sizes, from three to 
6 inches long, and nearly as broad, with small 
yellowish flowers succeeded by blackish ber- 
ries, but not in this country. 5. I he indica, 
or Indian bay-tree, rises with an upright 
straight trunk, branching regularly 20 or 30 
feet lrgh, adorned with very large, spear- 
shaped, plane, nervous, evergreen leaves on 
reddish footstalks; and bunches ot small 
whitish-green flowers, succeeded by large oval 
black berries, which, do not ripen in this 
country, b. The barbonia, or Carolina red 
bay-tiee, rises with an upright straight stem, 
branching 15 or 20 teet high; with large, 
spear-shaped, evergreen leaves, transversely 
veined ; and long hunches ot flowers on red 
footstalks, succeeded by large blue berries 
sitting in red cups. 7. the camphora, or 
camphor-tree, grows naturally in die woods 
of the western parts oi Japan, and in the ad- 
jacent islands. See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 244. 
The root smells stronger of camphor than 
any of the other parts, and yields it in greater 
plenty. The bark oi the stalk is outwardly 
somewhat rough ; but in the inner surlace 
smooth and mucous, and therefore easily se- 
parated from the wood, which is dry, and of 
a white colour. The flowers are produced 
on the tops of footstalks, which proceed from 
the armpits of the leaves; but not till the 
tree has attained considerable age and size. 
The flower-stalks are slender, branched at- 
the top, and divided into very short pedicles, 
each supporting a single flower. 1 hese 
flowers arc white, and consist ot six petals, 
which are succeeded by a purple and shining 
berry of the size of a pea, and in figure 
somewhat top-shaped. It is composed of a 
soft pulpy substance, that is purple, and has 
the taste of cloves ami camphor; and of a 
nucleus or kernel of the size of a pepper, 
which is covered with a black, shining, oily 
collide, of an insipid taste. 8. The cin- 
namomuii), or cinnamon-tree, is a native of 
Ceylon. It has a large root, and divides into 
several branches, covered with a bark, which, 
on the outer side is of a greyish brown, and 
on the inside has a reddish cast. The wood 
of the root is hard, white, and has no smell. 
The body of the tree, which grows to the 
height of 20 or 30 feet, is covered, as well as 
its numerous branches, with a bark which af 
first is green and afterwards red. The leaf is 
longer and narrower than the common bay- 
tree ; and it is three-nerved, the nerves va- 
nishing towards the top. When first un- 
folded, it is of a flame-colour ; but after it has 
been for some time exposed to the air, and 
grows dry, it changes to a deep green on 
the upper surface, and to a lighter on the- 
lower. The flowers are small and white, 
and grow in large bunches at the extremity 
of. the branches: they have an. agreeable 
smell, something like that of the lily of the 
valley. Tire fruit is > shaped like an acorn, 
but is not so large. 9- The cassia, or base 
cinnamon, has lanceolated leaves, triple- 
nerved. 10, The persea, avocado-pear tree, 
or alligator pear, rises to a considerable 
height, with a straight trunk, of which the 
bark and wood are oi a greyish colour. The 
leaves are long, oval, pointed, of a substance ■ 
like leather, and of a beautiful green colour. 
The flowers are produced in large knots or 
clusters at the extremities of the branches, 
and consist each of six petals disposed in 'the - 
form of a star, and of a dirty-white or yellow 
colour, with an agreeable odour, which dif- 
fuses itself to a considerable distance. It is a 
native oUtlie West Indies. The' persea .be? 
