Lobelia. LXXVI. LOBELIACEiE. 363 



perfected seeds and seed-down, the airy, globular form of which is very con- 

 spicuous anions the tall grass. The leaves in .spring furnisii an excellent pot- 

 herb. April — Nov. ^ 



83. SONCHUS. 



Gr. Gofi<poi, hollow or soft ; in uilu.-iion to tho lender, feeble stem. 



Involucre imbricate, of numerous une([ual scales, at length tumid 

 at the base ; receptacle naked ; pappus of simple, copious, white-silky 

 hairs in many scries ; achenia not rostrate. — Lvs. mostl?/ spmulosc. 

 Heads ivilh many yellow Jiowcrs. 



1. S. OLERACEus. Commou Soio Thidlc. — Lvs. sagittate-amplexicaul, runci- 

 nate, subspinulo.se, dentate; pcd. downy; invol. at length smooth. — A sordid 

 looking plant, nativ^e of Europe, naturalized in waste grounds, among rubbish, 

 &c. The wliole plant has a glaucous hue. Stem angular, hollow, fragile, 

 2 — 3f in height. Leaves apparently clasping, with large, retreating lobes at 

 base, wavy and serrated in aruncinate manner, the teeth ending in weak .spines. 

 Involucres dilated at base, with yellow corollas. Sept. <^ 



2. S. ASPER. Vill. (S. spinulosus. Bw.) Rovfrh Sow Thistle. 



St. glandular-hi.spid above; lvs. cordate-amplexical, oblong-lanceolate, 

 undulate, spinulose, dentate; pcd. subumbellate. — Found in similar situations 

 with the ibrmer, but less common, U. S. Stem 1 — 21 high, smooth except at 

 the summits of the branches, where it is covered with stiff hairs, each support- 

 ing a little gland at top. Leaves with numerous short, spiny teeth, wavy or 

 slightly runcinate, the upper ones clasping so as to appear perfoliate. Scales 

 with few, scattered hairs. Aug. Sept. 



3. S. ARVENsis. Cam Soto Thistle. 



Rt. creeping, perennial; 5^. glabrous, erect; lvs. runcinate-pinnatifid, 

 spinulose-dentate, cordate-clasping at base, with short and obtuse auricles; 

 panicle umbellate-corymbose; peel, and invol. hispid; ach. somewhat 4-angled, 

 the ribs transversely rugulose. — % Waste grounds, naturalized. Eastern Mass. 

 and Southern N. Y., rare. Stem angular, about 2f high. Heads large, with 

 deep yellow flowers. ^ 



Order LXXVI. LOBELIACE^.— Lobeliads. 



Herbs or shrubs with a milky juice. Lvs. alternate, without stipules. 



F/s. axillary and terminal. 



Cal. superior, the limb 5-!obed or entire. 



Cor. — Limb irregidar, 5-lobed, the tube inserted into the calyx. 



Sta. 5, inserted with the corolla and alternate with its lobes. 



Anth. cx)herent into a tube. Pollen oval. 



Ova. adherent to the calyx tube. Style simple. Stig. surrounded with a fringe. 



Fr. a cap.<ule, -2 or 3-(rarely l-)cclled, many-seeded. 



Most abundant in countries near the tropics, as W. Indies, Brazil and the Sandwich Islands, but they 

 are found also throughout the temperate zones. 



Properties. — All the species are poisonous, being perv^aded by an acrid, narcotic juice. The common 

 Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) is an exceedingly active medicine, emetic, sudoritic and expectorant. It 

 should be used, however, with great caution, since " less than a teaspoonful of the seeds or the powdered 

 leaves would destroy life in a few hours." Dr. Gray. The other species produce similar effects, but in a 

 less degree. 



Genera, 



Corolla tube cleft on the upper side to near the base, limb subbilabiate Lobelia. I 



Corolla tube short, entire, limb bilabiate Clintonia. 2 



1. LOBELIA. 



In honor of Matthias de Lobel, physician and botanist to James I. Died 1616. 



Corolla tubular, irregular, cleft nearly to the base on the upper 

 side ; stamens with the anthers united above into a curved tube ; 

 stigma 2-lobed ; cap.sule opening at the summit ; seeds minute. — Her- 

 baceous pla7ils, with thefls. axillary and solitary .^ or in terminal^ bracted 

 racemes. 



1. L. CARDiNALis. Cardinal Plover. 



S'. erect, simple, lvs. ovate-lanceolate, finelv serrate, acute or acuminate, 

 31* • 



