LEG 
434 
gloffy, with rough margin.— EJJential CliaraBer. Calyx 
fix-leaved ; corolla fix-petalled ; nedtary ligulate, ftami- 
niferous ; pericarpium circumcifed, many-feeded. 
Thefe are trees or flrrubs, with alternate leaves 5 flowers 
in terminating fpik.es, and from the axils of the {hoots ; 
in the fpikes alternate, on pedicels that have a Angle 
brafle at the bafe, and frequently two fcales under the ca¬ 
lyx. It is peculiar to this genus to have a pitcher-fliaped 
body in the centre of the flower, which Linnaeus calls 
the ntSarium , inferted into the calyx below the petals, 
perforated in the middle for the paflage of the ftyle, 
limped like a petal, coriaceous, entire at the edge, not 
flaminiferous on the edge as in Pirigara (Guftavia) and 
Butonica, but covered on the inlide with numerous fub- 
feffile (latnens, and produced on the fide into a membra¬ 
naceous bilamellated flrap. Calyx fix-lobed at top, equal, 
the lobes deciduous. Petals fix, inferted into the calyx 
under the diviilons, and fattened to the nedlary, coria¬ 
ceous and concave. Germ half inferior, ending in a co¬ 
nical ftyle, and a blunt fiigma. Capfule woody, four- 
celled, but fometimes varying in the number of cells 
from two to fix; differing in form, fize, and denfity ; the 
velliges of the'calyx remain on it about half-way down ; 
at tire top it is cut round, and furniftied with a lid, 
which is produced or continued down into a central an¬ 
gular receptacle, and fattened to the partitions of the cap- 
lule. Seeds in each cell folitary or few, inferted into the 
receptacle, angular, covered by a membranaceous aril. 
Species. 1. Lecythis grandiflora, or large-flowered le- 
cythis: leaves ovate, peduncles of the flowers thick. 
This tree grows to the height of thirty feet. Leaves 
ftrong, thick, waved, feven inches long, and three inches 
wide, ending in a little point ; midrib prominent the 
whole length underneath. Flowers at the end of the 
{hoots from the axils of the leaves, and alfo from the 
branches and (hoots themfelves ; the pedicel enlarges as 
it approaches the calyx, which is of a reddilh colour on 
the infide, corolla rofe-coloured ; two petals longer and 
wider, and four fmaller; capfule (Imped like an urn, hard, 
woody, thick, about feven inches in height, four inches 
or more in diameter, and the opening of the cover two 
inches and a half, rounded next the peduncle, convex at 
top, and ending in a point; the remains of the calyx 
form a woody border, and above that is a collar near an 
inch high, which in the flower was covered by the claws 
of the petals ; the periphery of the opening, which is 
clofed by a lid or cover that defeends the whole height of 
the collar, and often to the very bottom, is convex in its 
outer face, but the inner is produced into a long, woody, 
conical body, having feveral fides, to which are attached 
large oblong kernels, of an irregular fliape, enveloped in 
a membrane, and very good to eat. Native of the forefts 
of Guiana; flowering in January, and fruiting in April. 
Called by the Caribbs canari makaque, by the French mar- 
mite de Jinge, the ape’s porridge-pot. 
2. Lecythis amara, or bitter lecythis : leaves ovate-lan¬ 
ceolate, acuminate; fruit (mail, with a bitter kernel. 
This is alfo a very lofty tree. Flowers fmall, yellow, 
with two or three fcales on the peduncle. Capfule the 
fize of an egg, thin, hard and woody, in the form of a 
little oval pot; the cover is divided at bottom into four 
parts, to each of which an oblong, angular, bitter kernel 
is attached : this is eaten by monkeys. The Creoles call 
it petite mar mite de Jinge. 
3. Lecythis parviflora, or fmall-flowered lecythis : leaves 
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate ; fruit fmall, two-celled ; lid, 
with the appendix, woody ; produced inwards. This is 
not a very high tree ; the boughs and twigs bend towards 
the ground ; leaves fhorter than thofe of the preceding; 
flowers much fmaller, of a golden yellow colour, and 
imelling very fweet. The kernels, being bitter, are eaten 
only by monkeys. Native of Guiana, on the banks of 
rivers. 
4. Lecythis Jacapucaya, or tall lecythis: leaves lanceolate- 
oblong, acuminate; fruit, large, with uneatable kernel. 
LED 
This is a very lofty tree, the trunk attaining fixty feet in 
height and more, and being two feet and upwards in dia¬ 
meter; the wood is white, except towards the middle, where 
it is red; the boughs extend every way at top, and the 
{hoots are loaded with leaves ten inches long, two inches 
and a half wide, entire about the edge, fmooth, ftrong, pale 
green, on a (liort petiole, which is convex underneath, 
and channelled above. The kernels are eaten ; they are 
fweet, delicate, and preferable to almonds: they are fold 
in London under the name of Brafil nuts. Birds and 
monkeys feed much on them. In Brafil they extradt an 
oil from the kernels, which is much efteemed. The In¬ 
dians ufe the bark for making cordage, and as oakum for 
flopping the feams of boats. The w.ood, being hard and 
durable, is excellent for mill-work. The capfules are 
made into drinking-cups, boxes, toys, See. Pifo relates, 
that a fingle tree will yield fruit fufficient to feed a mode¬ 
rate army. Native of America, Brafil, and Guiana. Intro¬ 
duced into the Ille of France before 1761, by M. d’Eftaing. 
5. Lecythis idatimon, or red-flowered lecythis: leaves 
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate; fruit, fmall, four-celled. 
This refembles the preceding fpecies in its leaves, and 
rifes to the fame height. Native of the forefts of Guiana, 
and called idatimon by the Caribbs. 
6. Lecythis minor, or fmall lecythis: leaves lanceolate- 
oblong; petioled. This is an elegant, branching, upright, 
tree, fixty feet high. Leaves acuminate, ferrate, fmooth, 
{ubdittich, half a foot in length. Flowers large; the co¬ 
rolla and ne< 5 tary white, the ltamens and corpufcles of the 
nediary yellow. Fruit very hard, brown, two inches in 
diameter: the cover falls off when the fruit is ripe; the 
dried pulp and feeds follow ; but the pot or body of the 
capfule hangs on frequently two years in an inverted ftate; 
the feparation of the cells is commonly incomplete ; and 
in each there are two or three feeds, and fometimes only 
one; in all about eight. Monkeys are fond of thefe. 
Jacquin relates, that, having eaten a whole nut, he was 
feized with a naufea in half an hour after, accompanied 
with a giddinefs of the head. The flowers are infelled 
with a fort of black vvafp, which attacks thofe who ga¬ 
ther them. Native of woods about Carthagena in New 
Spain, flowering in June and July. The fruits are ripe 
in December. Jacquin is of opinion that his L, minor 
is very different from the Lecythis of Loefling, and pro¬ 
bably alfo from the Jacapucaya of Marcgraaf. Aublet 
fuppofes L. minor of Jacquin and L. ollaria of Linnaeus 
to be the fame fpecies, and diftinci from Jacapucaya of 
Marcgraaf. 
LECY'THUS, in ancient geography, a town of Eu’oaea. 
LECZEN'GA, a river of Africa, which runs into the 
Mozambique gulf in lat. 17.20. S. 
LECZ'NA, a town of Poland, in the palatinate of 
Chelm : twenty-four miles north-weft of Chelm. 
LED, part. pret. of lead .—The leaders of this people 
caufe them to err, and they that are led of them are de- 
ftroyed. Jfa. ix. 16.—As in vegetables and animals, fo in 
molt other bodies, not propagated by feed, it is the co¬ 
lour we mod fix on, and are moft led by. Locke. 
LED'-HORSE, f. A fumpter horfe. 
LE'DA, in fabulous hiftory, a daughter of king Thef- 
pios and Eurythemis, who married Tyndarus king of 
Sparta. She was feen bathing in the river Eurotas by Ju¬ 
piter, when (he was fome few days advanced in her preg¬ 
nancy ; and the god, {truck with her beauty, refolved to 
deceive her. He perfuaded Venus to change herfelf into 
an eagle, while he aflurned the form of a fwan ; and, af¬ 
ter this metamorpholis, Jupiter, as if fearful of the ty¬ 
rannical cruelty of the bird of prey, fled through the air 
into the arms of Leda, who willingly ftieltered the trem¬ 
bling fwan from the affaults of his fuperior enemy. The 
careffes with which the naked Leda received the fwan, 
enabled Jupiter to avail himfelfof his fituation ; and, nine 
months after this adventure, the wife of Tyndarus brought 
forth two eggs, of one of which fprang Pollux and He¬ 
lena, and of the other Caltor and Clytemneftra. The 
3 two 
