22 LOBELIA. ^ No. 60' 



1 



emetic, acting somewhat like the Eupatorium and Vet- 

 benahastata; some boil it in milk for a milder cathartic, 

 or as a sudorific in pleurisy. A strong decoction of the 

 fresh roots is a violeat and disagreeable, but effectual 

 and ponular remedy in the Western States for the sum- 

 mer bilious feversj some physicians depend upon it alto- 

 gether. The roots loose much of their virulence by 

 drying, and a drachm of the powder becomes an uncer- 

 tain purgative: while, when fresh, they are drastic and 

 dangerous in substance, and said to produce bloody 

 stools, dizziness, vertigo, and abortion. The safest way 

 18 to use it in weak and cold infusion. Employed also 

 for rheumatism, spasms, and bilious complaints. 



No. 60. LOBELIA INFLATA. 



Names. Common Lobelia. Fr. Lobelieenflee. Vul- 



gar. 



Weed 



W 



J - , 



if. .Nat. Order of Lobelides. Syngenesia mo- 

 nogamia L. 



Genus Lobelia. Calyx superior, five cleft. Corolla 

 monopetalous, irregular, five cleft, tube cleft on one side, 

 five stamina, epigyuous, monadelphous, and syngene- 

 sious, one style and stigma, capsule two or three celled, 

 cells opening by pores, many minute seeds. 



Sp. Lobelia injlata. L. Branching and hairy, leaves 

 sessile, ovate, denticulate, flowers in slender racemes, 

 axillary to oblong bracts, capsules swelled. 



DESCRIPTION. Biennial plant, one or two feet 

 high, stem milky, erect, ramose, flexuose, subangular, 

 hirsute; leaves alternate, oval or oblong, acute, sessile, 

 or semi-amp! exicaule, unequally serrate or toothed, pu- 

 bescent, racemes of flowers terminal, erect, foliose; 

 flowers remote, each nearly sessile and axillary to a 

 ^act, somewhat similar to the leaves, but smaller, 

 the upper ones smallest; lower flowers pedunculated; 



^^K^T ^^^^P^^' ^^^^^ globosej calyx with five unequal 

 subulate divisions; corolla small blue. Capsule crowned 



by the calix, swelled, striated, two-celled, full of very 

 minute seeds. ^ ^ » / 



