LOBELIA. a» 



cated to Henrietta, the Queen of that monarch. 

 We presume it was called the Cardinars-flower, 

 on account of the bright red colour of the co- 

 rollas. This beautiful plant grows naturally by 

 the side of rivers and ditches in most parts of 

 North America, as well as in Virginia. 



Justice was so delighted with this plant in the 

 year 1754, that he recommends it as *' a flower 

 of most handsome appearance, which should not 

 be wanting in curious gardens, as it excells all 

 other flowers I ever knew in the richness of its 

 colour." Had this Scotch gentleman lived to 

 have seen the two beautiful species that have 

 been since introduced, his raptures would hava 

 been increased, as the Refulgent Lobelia, Ful-^ 

 gens, and the Shining Lobelia, Spkndens, are 

 still more brilliant than the Cardinalis, The Eu- 

 ropean florists are indebted to those illustrious 

 travellers Humboldt and Bonpland, for both of 

 these magnificent species of Lobelia^ as the seeds 

 were found in the specimens which they brought 

 home with them from Mexico. The former spe- 

 cies reached this country in 1810, and the latter 

 was first brought from Paris in the year 1814, 

 The splendid colours of these plants soon ensured 

 them a situation in almost every conservatoryj 

 from whence they have been procured to grace 

 the more humble window of the cottage florist, 



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