LION'S-TAIL: A genus of the gymnospermia order, belonging to the didynamia clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 42d order, Verticillate. The antherae are powdered Leonurus with shining points, or small elevated globular particles.

Species.

1. The Africana, with spear-shaped leaves, is a native of Ethiopia. It rises with a shrubby stalk seven or eight feet high, sending out several four-cornered branches, garnished with oblong narrow leaves, acutely indented on their edges, hairy on their upper side, and veined on the under side, standing opposite. The flowers are produced in whorls, each of the branches having two or three of these whorls towards their ends. They are of the lip kind, shaped somewhat like those of the dead nettle; but are much longer, and covered with short hairs. They are of a golden scarlet colour, so make a fine appearance. The flowers commonly appear in October and November, and sometimes continue till the middle of December, but are not succeeded by seeds in this country. There is a variety with variegated leaves which is admired by some, but the whorls of flowers are smaller than those of the plain sort.

2. The nepetæfolia, with oval leaves, is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. This rises with a square shrubby stalk about three feet high, sending out several four-cornered branches, garnished with oval crenated leaves, rough on their under side like the dead-nettle, but veined on the upper side, and placed opposite. The flowers come out in whorls like those of the former sort, but are not so long nor so deep coloured. They appear at the same season with the first, and continue as long in beauty. There are three other species, but the above are the most remarkable.

Culture. Both sorts are propagated by cuttings, which should be exposed to the air long enough to harden the shoots, and planted in the beginning of July, after which they will take root very freely. They should be planted in a loamy border to an aesthetic aspect; and if they are covered closely with a bell or hand-glass to exclude the air, and shaded from the sun, it will forward their putting forth roots. As soon as they have taken good root, they should be taken up and planted each in a separate pot filled with loamy earth, and placed in the shade till they have taken new root. In October they must be removed into the greenhouse.