Isopògons, about ten species of Pròtea-like plants, all natives of New Holland. They are very stiff shrubs, with leaves very much divided, and cone-like flowers at the extremity of the shoots. I. formòsus, I. anemonifòlius, I. attenuàtis, and I. polycéphalis, are the finest; flowers are straw, lilac, white, and yellow coloured; the pots must be well drained, and the plants not over-crowded.
Justícias. Only a few of these belong to the Green-house, and are very simple looking flowers. The most beautiful of them belong to the Hot-house. J. nìgricans, small striped flower; J. orchioídes and J. Adhátoda, Malanut, are the only ones that are worth observation, and are very easily cultivated. J. Adhátoda has good looking foliage, but does not flower until the plant becomes large; colour white and light purple.
Jacksònias. A genus consisting of five species. The foliage is varied, and all natives of New South Wales. J. scopària is similar to a plant in our collections, called Vimenària denudata. J. hórrida, and J. reticulàta, are the finest; the small flowers come out of the young shoots, are yellow and papilionaceous; the pots should be well drained.
Kennèdias, about nine species, all evergreen climbers, of the easiest culture, and flower abundantly. K. monophylla, blue flowered, and K. rubicúnda, crimson flowered, are common in our collections. K. prostràta, (once Glycine coccínea) one-flowered scarlet, and K. coccínea, many flowered scarlet, are very pretty. K. Comptoniàna has splendid purple flowers, and K. inophylla is thought the most superb. It is very rare, and we have not seen it flower. They are large purple. The pots should be well drained; and if the plants are much fostered, they will not flower so well; flowers are either in racemose spikes, or solitary, which is rather too much distinction for the same genus.
Lambértias, four species of very fine plants, natives of New Holland. L. formòsa is the finest of the genus that we have seen; flowers large and of a splendid rose colour. L. echinàta is said to be finer, but has not flowered in cultivation. L. uniflòra has single red flowers, and L. inérmis orange coloured. They are rare plants in the collections on this side of the Atlantic. Drain the pots well; the foliage is narrow, and of a hard dry nature.
Lasiopètalums, only two species. There were a few more, but they are now Thomàsias, plants of no merit whatever, in regard to flower; foliage three lobed, small, rough, and rusty-like. Thomàsia solanàcea and T. quereifòlia, are the best species; foliage of the former is large, cordate, and deep indented; they are all of the easiest culture.
Lavándulas, Lavender, about seven species belong to the Green-house, and a few of them very pretty soft-wooded, half shrubby plants, and if touched, are highly scented. L. dentàta has narrow serrated foliage, very neat. L. formòsa and L. pinnàta are desirable; blue flowers on a long spike; should be kept near the glass; they are of the easiest culture.
Laúrus. A few species are Green-house plants. This genus has been divided to Cinnamòmum; still there are a few celebrated plants in the original. L. nòbilis, sweet bay, though hardy, is kept under protection. It will bear the winter with a little straw covering, notwithstanding there should be a plant kept in the house in case of accident by frost or otherwise; there is a variegated variety of it. L. índica, royal bay, L. fœtens, L. aggregàta, and L. glúaca, are favourites. There is a species known in our collections as L. scábra. The Camphire tree, known as L. camphòra, is Cinnamòmum camphòra; the wood, leaves, and roots of this tree have a very strong odour of camphire. It is obtained by distillation from the roots and small branches, which are cut into chips, and put into a net suspended within an iron pot, the bottom of which is covered with water, having an earthen head fitted in it; heat is then applied, and the steam of the boiling water acting upon the contents of the net, elevates the camphire into the capital, where it concretes on the straws, with which this part of the apparatus is lined. They are all fine evergreens, (which the name denotes,) and easily cultivated,
Lìnums, Flax, two or three species are very fine, and flower freely. L. trigynum has large yellow flowers in clusters, and L. ascyrifôlium, whose flowers are large, blue, and white, and in long spikes. The shape of them is very like the flower vulgarly called Morning-glory.
Lobèlias. Several of them when well treated, form most magnificent flowering plants; they are principally herbaceous. L. Tùpa has the largest foliage, and fine scarlet flowers. L. speciôsa, flowers light purple; L. fúlgens, crimson flowers; L. spléndens, scarlet flowers. The three last are of the same habit; the colours brilliant; and to grow them well, they should be divided, (if there are several shoots arising,) when they begin to grow, putting them first into four inch pots, and shifting them frequently, having them to flower in those of nine or ten inches, which will be about the end of June, or first of July, and they will continue until October. The pots must be always kept in pans or saucers filled with water; likewise give plenty to the surface of the earth, which is to be done during their time of growth and flowering. If this is attended to, they will produce flower stalks from four to six feet in height, and covered with branches and spikes of flowers from bottom to top. The corolla is pentapetalous, three down and two up; they require a little shade. The genus consists of about eighty species; seventy of them are exotics; many of them natives of the Cape of Good Hope, with little flowers of brilliant colours. L. cærùlea, L. Thunbérgii, L. corymbôsa, L. pyramidàlis, and L. ilicifòlia, are very fine species, of weak growth, but flower freely.