lepadoid 
1. a. Resembling a goose-mussel; of or per- 
taining to the Lepadidm. 
II. n. A member of the Lejiadidce. 
lepal (le'pal), n. [< NL. as if "lepalum, < L. 
lepis, < Gr. Aeinf, a scale: the term, conforms 
to that of petal, sepal.'] In bot., a barren trans- 
formed stamen. 
lepartt, An obsolete variant of leopard. 
I'liinicer. 
Lepas (le'pas), n. [NL., < L. lepas (lepad-), < 
Gr. AfTraf (/UTrad-), a limpet, < teiraf, a bare rock, 
< Uirtiv, strip, peel.] The typical genus of Le- 
padidw; goose-mussels proper. L. anattfera is a 
common species, usually found attached to floating or 
submerged objects, hanging in the water sometimes to the 
length of a foot or more. L. fascuxtlaris is another well- 
known species, with a short footstalk. See barnaclel, 2. 
lepet, " A Middle English form of leap. 
Lepechinia (lep-e-kin'i-a), . [NL. ( Walldonow, 
1816), named after John Lepechin, a Russian 
botanist.] A genus of labiate plants of the 
tribe Satureineai, and type of the subtribe Le- 
pechiniece. It is distinguished from the other members 
of the subtribe by having the corolla naked within and by 
the oblong parallel anther-cells. There are 2 species, na- 
tives of Mexico, herbs with small yellowish or white flowers 
in axillary whorls crowded in dense terminal spikes. 
Lepechinieae (lep'e-ki-ni'e-e), n.pl. [NL. (Ben- 
tham and Hooker, 1876),'< Lepechinia + -eai.~\ 
A subtribe of labiate plants of the tribe Satu- 
reinea}, based on the genus Lepechinia, having a 
loose campanulate or broadly tubular calyx, a 
broad tubular and two-lipped corolla, and four 
perfect stamens. It embraces 3 genera besides the 
type, Dekinia, Sphacele, and Hormium, natives of Mexi- 
co, California, South America, the Hawaiian islands, and 
Europe. 
leper 1 (lep'er), n. [In def. 1 (where also former- 
ly lepry, q. v.) < ME. lepre,< OF. liepre, P. lepre = 
Sp. Pg. It. lepra, < L. lepra, < Gr. Mirpa, leprosy, 
< Aeirp6$, scaly, < /Um>?, a scale, < Aeireiv, strip, 
peel, = Buss, lupite = Lith. lupti, peel. In def. 
2, orig. leprous man, the form leper as applied 
to a person being more recent, and appar. de- 
veloped, as seeming noun of agent in -er, from 
leprous.] If. Leprosy. 
The lepre of him was clensid. Wyclif, Mat viii. 2. 
Whan he was in his lustie age, . 
The lepre caught in his visage. 
Cower, Conf. Amant., ii. 
2. A person affected with leprosy. 
And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, say- 
Ing, Lord, if t hmi will, thou canst make me clean. 
Mat. viii. 2. 
leper 2 !, n. An obsolete form of leaper. Piers 
Plowman. 
leper-house (lep'er-hous), . A hospital for 
the treatment of leprosy, 
leperizet (lep'er-iz), v. t. [< leper^ + -ize.] To 
strike with leprosy. 
Moses, by Faith, doth Myriam leperize. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Triumph of Faith, mi. 7. 
leperous (lep'er-us), a. See leprous. 
lepid (lep'id), a. [= Sp. lepido = Pg. It. lepido, 
< L. lepidus, pleasant; cf. L. lepor, lepos (lepor-), 
pleasantness; no verb-root appears.] Pleas- 
ant; jocose. [Rare.] 
As for the joyous and lepid consul, he gives himself no 
trouble upon any subject. 
Sydney Smith, Peter Plymley's Letters, vii. 
lepides, n. Plural of lepis. 
Lepidinese (lep-i-din'e-e), n. pi. [NL. (A. P. 
de Candolle, 1821), < Lepidium + -inece.] A 
tribe of cruciferous plants distinguished by the 
usually incumbent or conduplieate cotyledons ; 
the peppergrasses. The tribe embraces 25 gen- 
era, of which Lepidium is the type. 
lepidltyt, n. [< lepid + -%.] Pleasantness; 
wittiness. Bailey, 1731. 
Lepidium (le-pid'i-um), n. [NL. (Linnams), < 
L. lepidium, < Gr. teiriSiav, a plant, prob. garden- 
cress, pepperwort, also lit. a small scale, dim. of 
Acme (/Ujnrf-), a scale: see lepis.'] 1. A large 
genus of cruciferous plants, chiefly herbs, of 
the tribe Lepidineai, distinguished by the de- 
hiscent pod, which is almost always two-seeded, 
and by the white flowers. About 100 species have 
been enumerated, which maybe reduced to from 60 to 80, 
distributed over the warm regions of the world. They are 
commonly known as peppergrasses. 
2f. In zool., a genus of thysamvrous insects. 
Also written Lepidion. Menge, 1854. 
lepidlyt (lep'id-li), adv. [< lepid + -ly*.] Wit- 
tily; pleasantly. 
lepidocrocite (lep-i-dok'ro-sit), n. [< Gr. knif 
(UTU&-), a scale (see lepis), + uponof, crocus, + 
-ite 2 .] A variety of goethite occurring in col- 
umnar forms with a scaly or fibrous structure. 
lepidodendroid (lep"i-do-den'droid), a. [< Le- 
/liilndendron + -aid.'] L'ike plants of the genus 
Lepidodendron ; having a scaly bark. 
Lepidodendron Brittsii, from the coal- 
measures of Missouri, a, a group of four 
leaf-scars ; t>, one of the scars on a larger 
scale. 
3412 
Lepidodendron (lepl-do-den'drgn), >i. [NL., 
< Gr. /ttin'f (/rmri-), a scale, + Aivifwv, a tree.] A 
common fossil plant of the Carboniferous coal- 
measures, supposed, in some cases at least, to 
have furnished an important constituent of the 
coal itself. By most fossil botanists Lepidodendron is 
considered to be closely allied to the club-mosses (Lyco- 
podiacete), now widely spread plants. The fossil club- 
mosses are, however, not identical in structure or exter- 
nal appearance with any now living, one important differ- 
ence being the much larger size of the fossil forms. The 
surface of the stem of Lepidodendron is marked by pecu- 
liar, prominent, quincuncially arranged, and generally 
lozenge-shaped " leaf -cushions " (also called "bolsters" 
and "leaf-bases"), 
which are sometimes 
distinctly separated 
from each other, and 
sometimes confluent 
above and below, and 
which vary greatly in 
size and shape with 
the age of the plant 
to which they belong. 
The leaf-scars are 
also usually rhombic 
(sometimes heart- 
shaped), and are situ- 
ated on the upper or 
central part of the 
cushion, and marked 
with vascular impres- 
sions or scars, which 
are usually three in 
number, the middle 
one being always the 
largest. The young 
twigs were clothed 
with long narrow 
leaves. The internal 
structure of the plant 
varies considerably 
with the species, of 
which great numbers 
have been described, 
based chiefly on the 
differences in form and size of the leaf -cushions and -scars, 
which are now generally considered as furnishing very 
unre|table data for specific distinction. The fossil Lepido- 
dendra are chiefly casts of the exterior. These plants are 
very characteristic of the middle and lower divisions of the 
productive (Carboniferous) coal-measures, and are widely 
distributed over the world. One species of Lepidodendron 
(comtgalum, Dawson) is very characteristic of the Lower 
Carboniferous in America. In Europe this genus is espe- 
cially developed in the lower parto of the coal-measures. 
Slernberg, 1820. See Sigillaria. 
lepidoganoid (lep"i-do-gan'oid), a. and n. [< 
Lepidoganoidei, q. v.] 1. a. Pertaining to or 
having the characters of the Lepidoganoidei. 
II. n. A fish of the group Lepidoganoidei. 
lepidoganoidean (lep * i - do - ga - noi ' de - an), a. 
and n. Same as lepidoganoid. 
Lepidoganoidei (lep *i-do-ga-noi'de-i),w.pZ. 
[NL., < Gr. AeTT/f (famd-), a scale, + NL. ganoi- 
deus, ganoid: see ganoid.] In R. Owen's sys- 
tems, an order or a suborder of ganoid fishes 
with regular scales instead of plates, as in the 
Placoganoidei. It is an artificial group, represented by 
the living amiids, lepidosteids, and polypterids, with many 
extinct relatives. In one of Owen's systems the Lepido- 
ganoidei are the second suborder of the third order, Ga- 
noidei, of fishes ; in another, the first suborder of the eighth 
order, Ganoidei, divided into 8 families. The Lepidoga- 
noidei as an order are sometimes divided into 5 sulwrders 
or families, Amiidaz, Lepidosteidte, Lepidopleuridce, Cros- 
iopterygidce, and Acantlmlidce. It is now obsolete. 
lepidoid (lep'i-doid), a. and n. [< Lepidoidei, 
q. v.] I. a. Of or pertaining to the Lepidoi- 
dei: as, a lepidoid fish; a lepidoid scale. 
II. n. A member of the Lepidoidei. 
Lepidoidei (lep-i-doi'de-i), n. pi. [NL., < Gr. 
MTridoei6t]f, scale-like, < /Icmf (AeinS-), a scale, + 
riiJof, form.] In Agassiz's classification (1833), 
a family of fossil ganoid fishes covered with 
large flat rhomboid enameled scales. It in- 
cluded forms now referred to several different 
families, as Acanthodida;, Dipterid<e, Palisonise- 
ida>, etc. 
lepidolite (lep'i-do-Ut), n. [< Gr. Arfr_ (Ar5-), 
a scale, + /l/0of, a stone.] Lithia mica. This 
mineral is found in scaly masses, ordinarily of a violet or 
lilac color and containing a small percentage of lithia. It 
is often associated with the lithia tourmalin or rubelllte, 
as at Rozena in Moravia, and Paris, Maine. See mica. 
lepidomelane (lep'i-do-me-lan"), w. [< Gr. Xtm'f 
(Aeirti-), a scale, + n^Aas (jie^av-), black.] A spe- 
cies of the mica group (see mica), of a deep-black 
color, usually occurring in small, rather inelas- 
tic scales. It contains a large amount of iron. 
lepidophaeite (lep"i-do-fe'It), n. [< Gr. /E-/C 
(AeniS-), a scale, + ipatof , dusky, + -tte 2 .] A soft, 
scaly variety of wad containing copper. 
Lepidophloios (lep'i-do-floi'os), n. [NL. 
(Steinberg, 1825) ; prop. '*Lepidop}ilceus, < Gr. 
At jn'f (Aejn<5-), a scale, + if/mm;, bark.] A genus 
of fossil plants of the coal-measures, closely re- 
lated to Lepidodendron, with prominent (often 
very prominent) transverse rhombic leaf-cush- 
ions, at the lower end of each of which is a leaf- 
Lepidopus 
scar of the same shape, together with three 
smaller punctate vascular scars, the central one 
being the largest and triangular in form. This 
genus is found in various parts of Europe, in 
the United States, and in Canada. 
Lepidophyllum (lep // i-do-firum) ; n. [NL., < 
(jr. /".fTTi'f (n-(d-), a scale, + <j>v'AA<n>, leaf.] A 
supposed genus of fossil plants, to which have 
been referred leaves, blades, or bracts forming 
a part of the organs of fructification of Lepido- 
dendron and Lepidophloios. Some species described 
under the name of Lepidophyttitm are fragments of linear 
leaves of Lepidodendron. 
Lepidopodidae (lep"i-do-pod'i-de), n. pi. [NL.,< 
Lepidopus (-pod-) + -idee.'] A family of acan- 
thopterygian fishes, typified by the genus Lepi- 
dopus, embracing scombroids of very elongate 
compressed form, and with a distinctly devel- 
oped caudal fin. It includes several deep- and 
open-sea fishes. 
lepidopter (lep-i-dop'ter), n. [< NL. lepidopte- 
rus, scaly-winged: see lepidopterous.] A lepi- 
dopterous insect. Also lepidopteran. 
Lepidoptera (lep-i-dop'te-ra), . pi. [NL., 
neut. pi. of lepidopterus, scaly-winged: see lepi- 
dopierous.] An order of hexapod insects, or 
true Insecta, with suctorial mouth-parts in the 
form of a spiral antlia, four similar membranous 
wings completely covered with scales, a fused 
prothorax, and perfect metamorphosis. These 
beautiful insects are known as butterflies and moths, 
the former being the Lepidoptera diurna, or Khnpalocera, 
and the latter the Lepidoptera noctuma, or Heterocfra, re- 
spectively constituting the two suborders into which the 
order is now usually divided. In the adults the mouth 
is completely hanstellate or antliate, the maxillrc being 
modified into a tubular sucking-proboscis, and the man- 
dibles being rudimentary. The modified maxillec have a 
pair of palps. The head is loosely attached to the tho- 
rax, and the long slender legs are very freely movable. 
The fore pair are rudimentary in some butterflies. The 
body is hairy ; the prothorax has a pair of tippets or pa- 
tagia, and the mesothorax a pair of scales, tegulee, or pa- 
Lfpidoptera. 
i. Butterfly Hipparchia galathea, marbled white butterfly. 2. 
Hawk-moth or sphinx Macrofflossa stcltatantm, humming-bird 
hawk-moth. 3. Moth Abraxas grossulariata, mafTpie-motn. 4. 
Palpi and spiral mouth of butterfly. 5. Antenna? a, butterfly's; 
t>, sphinx's ; c, moth's. 6. Portion of wing of cabbage-butterfly, with 
part of the scales removed. 7. Scales of same, magnified. 
raptera. The pupa is obtected. The larva, known as a 
caterpillar, is mandibulate, having masticatory instead of 
suctorial mouth-parts, and is provided with from 4 to 10 
prolegs or prop-legs besides the 6 true legs. The lip of the 
larva bears a double-oriflced spinneret, a tubular organ 
through which passes the silk of which the cocoon is fabri- 
cated. Caterpillars are almost invariably vegetable-feed- 
ers, and often prove highly destructive. A few species 
are known to be carnivorous. Upward of 50,000 species 
are described. In the Linnean system, prior to 1758, the 
Lepidoptera consisted of the two genera Papilio and Pha- 
lozna, corresponding to the modern suborders lihopalocera 
and Heterocera, or butterflies and moths ; later, in the same 
system, of the genera Papilio, Sphinx, and Phalcena, cor- 
responding to the Latreillean Lepidoptera diurna, crepus- 
cutaria, and nocturna. Later writers divided the order 
into the families Papilionido?, Sphinyidce, Jigeriidce, Zygtf- 
nidce, BombyciddK, Noctuidce, Geometrid{e, Pyralidce, Tor- 
tricidce, and Tineidce; and nearly all of these have been 
further subdivided into other families. 
lepidopteran (lep-i-dop'te-ran), a. and n. [As 
li'pidopter-ous + -an.] I." a" Same as lejiidop- 
teroHs. 
II. n. Same as lepidopter. 
lepidopterist (lep-i-dop'te-rist), n. [< Lepidnp- 
tera + -j'sfc] One who is versed or engaged in 
the scientific study of Lepidoptera. 
lepidopterous (lep-i-dop'te-rus), a. [< NL. 
kpidopterus, scaly-winged, < Gr. Xeirif (?,r5-), 
a scale, + flrcpov, a wing.] In cntom., having 
scaly wings ; specifically, pertainingto the Lepi- 
dopttra. or having their characters. Also lepi- 
dopternl, lepidopteran. 
Lepidopus (le-pid'o-pus), n. [NL., < Gr. MTT!; 
(Af~/(5-), a scale, +' Trorf (jro<5-) = E. foot."] 1. 
In ichtk., the typical genus of Lrpidopndidn: 
having scale-like appendages in the place of 
ventral fins, whence the name. L. argenteus,of a 
silvery color, is the true scabbard-fish, a speuies of wide 
distribution in many seas. 
2. A genus of crustaceans. Duna, 1847, 
