Lobelia. LXXVI. LOBELIACEiE. 363 



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

 spicuous amon^ the tall grass. The leaves in spring furnish an excellent pot- 

 herb. April — Nov. ^ 



83. SONCHUS. 

 Gr. (ToiKpos, hollow or soft ; in allusion to the tender, feeble stem. 



Involucre imbricate, of numerous unequal scales, at length tumid 

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

 hairs in many series ; achenia not rostrate. — Lvs. mostly spinu(ose. 

 Heads with many yellow flowers. 



1. S. oLERACEus. Cammon Sow Thistle. — L/vs. sagittate-amplexicaul, runci- 

 nate, subspinulose, dentate ; ped. downy ; hivol. at length smooth. — (D A sordid 

 looking plant, native of Europe, naturalized in waste grounds, among rubbish, 

 &c. The whole 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 a runcinate manner, the teeth ending in weak spines. 

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



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



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

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

 with the former, but less common, U. S. Stem 1 — 2f 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. ARVEXSis. Corn Smo Thistle. 



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

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

 panicle umbellate-corymbose; ped. 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. 



Heiha or shruha with a milky juice. Lvs. alternate, without stipules. 



Fie. axillary and terminal. 



Cal. superior, the limb s-lobed or entire. 



Cot —Limb irreg\ilar. 5 loltcd. the tube inserted into the calyx. 



Bta. 5, inserted with the corolla and alternate with lU lobes. 



Anth. coherent into a tube. Pollen oval. , „ . j j -.i. t; 



Ova adherent to the calyx tube. Style simple. Sttg. surrounded with a frmfc. 



Ft. a capsule, 2 or 3-(rarely l-)celled, 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. 



Pr(ypeTtiea —All the species are poi.sonous, beinff pervaded by an acrid, narcotic juice. The common 

 Indian tobacco (Lobelia inllata) is an exceedingly active medicine, emeUc, sudorific and expectorant. It 

 •hould be used, however, vnxh preat caution, 8ince " less than a teaspoonhilof the seeds or the powdered 

 leaves would destroy life in a lew hours." Dr. Gray. The other species produce smuJar eflecta, but m a 

 less degree. 



Gen^^ra, 



Corolla tube cleft on the upper side to near th'B base, limb subbilabiatc LOftlUt. I 



Corolla tube short, entire, limb bilabiate Cltntonia. 2 



1. LOBELIA. 



In honor of Matlhia.s de I.obel, physician and botanist to James I. Died 1616. 



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

 side ; stamens with the anther.s united above into a curved tube ; 

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

 baceous plants, icith the fls. nxillary and solitary ., or in terminal, bracted 

 raceme.^. 



1. L. CARDiXAMS. Cardinal Flover. . 



S/. erect, simple, lvs. ovate-lanceolate, finelv serrate, acute or acummaie, 

 '31* 



