N A T. O R DE R; 



Lobdiaceoe. 



LOBELIA MUCRONATA. SH.A11P-FL0WERED LOBELIA. 



Class V. Pentandria. Order I. Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. CaUj.v, superior, five-toothed and five-parted. Corolla, 



monopetalous, irregular. Stamens, five, inserted into the calyx. 



Anthers, cohering. Pollen, oval. 



Spe. Cliar. Leaves, petiolate, ovate. Stem, erect, branched, angu- 

 lar, hairy. 



This peculiar and rare plant is a native of Virginia, and was 

 first brought into notice by some of the English botanists. The 

 stem is annual, upright, branched, hairy, and rises from two to three 

 feet in height ; the leaves stand upon short footstalks, which are 

 placed upon the branches ; they are deeply serrated, lanceolate, quite 

 entire, covered with a down, and are of a dark green color ; the co- 

 rolla is monopetalous, irregular, inserted in the calyx, five-lobed, or 

 deeply five-cleft ; stamens five, inserted in the calyx alternately with 

 the lobes of the corollas ; anthers cohering ; jjoll oval ; ovarium infe- 

 rior, with from one to three cells, but usually of two cells ; otmla 

 very numerous, attached to the axis or parietes of the fruit ; style 

 simple; s^ig^ma usually two-lobed, surrounded by a cup-like fringe; 

 fruit capsular, three-celled, many-seeded, dehiscing at the apex ; seeds 

 attached to the axis or parietes of the fruit ; embryo straight, in the 

 axis of the fleshy albumen, with the radicle pointing to the hylum ; 

 flowers terminal. 



The plants contained in this order have all been recorded dan- 

 gerous or suspicious, in consequence of the acridity of their milk. 



Vol. iii.— IG3. 



