NEILGHERRY PLANTS. ao 
1170. LopeLta TRIGONA. (Roxb.) glabrous, bran- nate, glanduloso-denticulate, twice the length of the 
ches diffuse, erect, or ascending and like the stems pedicels: lobes of the calyx erect, linear-lanceolate, 
trigonous: leaves subsessile, ovato-subcordate, repand- denticulate, thrice the length of the hemispherical 
ly dentate, teeth mucronulate: pedicels slender, lon- tube; equalling the length of the tube of the pube- 
ger than the leaves, bibractiolate at the base : tube of scent corolla.—D: C. Prod. 7—381. 
t 
the length of the tube: corolla small, glabrous, longer | Very common on the Neilgherries. A tall, ungainly 
e calyx : anthers enclosed, all bearded at the looking plant, flowering during the rains, from May 
apex : capsule obovoid.—D. C. Prod. 7, 360. to September but to be met with in flower at all sea- 
: sons. The stems are annual but ts seem peren 
In moist pastures on the borders of rice fields fre- nial. The stems are currently met with from 6 to 8 
quent, also abundant in swampy grounds on the Neil- feet high, but may often be seen from 10 to 12 feet, 
gherries. flowers pale yellowish, tinged with lilac, pubescent, 
ovary more than half superior. 
This is usually a low diffuse plant growing amongst 
grass. Stems weak and succulent, the leaves succulent 
i i when . Many persons seem to have an idea that this is a 
Flowers pale blue. The habit of the plant is well re- species of Tobacco, “Hill Tobacco,” and have asked by 
presented in the drawing. what process of cultivation it becomes the tobacco of 
ommerce. I presume that ere this time the readers 
1173-4. LoBEtia EXCELSA. (Lesch.) stem very of these pages do not require to be told that, no pro- 
large, herbaceous, erect : leaves lanceolate, shortly pe- cess of cultivation could ever so alter this plant as to 
tioled, narrow at the base, acuminate, denticulate, convert it into tobacco though, for any thing I know 
puberulous above, tomentose beneath : racemes folia- to the contrary, it may greatly resemble that plant in 
ceous pubescent, many flowered: bracts long acumi- its properties, but that is improbable. 
CAMPANULACEZ. 
It is still a subject of discussion among Botanists whether Bell-flowers and 
Lobelias should be viewed as separate families or sections of one larger group. The ques- 
tion is too abstruse for this book, but it may be remarked in passing, that if properties 
be allowed to have any weight in deciding the question, it may soon be set at rest as nothing 
can be more widely distinct. The juice of both is milky, but in this, having a large admix- 
ture of mucilaginous matter, it is of the mildest and least irritating quality, while in the 
other, as already stated, it is in many instances highly acrid, corrosive and poisonous. This, 
added to certain Botanical distinctions, such as the irregular flowers and united anthers of 
the one and the regular bell-shaped corollas and free anthers of the other, certainly make 
out a strong case in favour of their separation. ; 
In regard to its extent, it is nearly on a par with the other, the number of genera, in 
this being 25 with about 450 species. Like Lobeliacee it isa pre-eminently extra-tropical 
family, the Indian members bearing about the same proportion in both, and in either case 
nearly the whole inhabiting the more elevated alpine regions. It seems curious that they 
should be found so sparingly on the Himalayas, considering their frequency on the Euro- 
pean and Caucasean ranges of Mountains. According to Alphonse DeCandolle “ the 
chain of the Alps, Italy, Greece, Caucasus, and the Altai range are their native country . 
the same high authority informs us, the Cape of Good Hope is another centre of habitation, 
containing not fewer that 63 species; a number considerably increased since he wrote. 
The properties of this family are of inferior note, much more associating with those of 
Cichoracece than [obeliaccee, the roots of some of them being esculents and formerly esteem- 
ed very nourishing and, on aczount of their milky juices, especially appropriate to lactescent 
women! As garden ornaments, many species are held in high esteem and very generalty 
