Lopeua. LXXVIL LOBELIACER, 363 
perfected seeds and seed-down, the airy, globular form of which is very con- 
spicuous among the ta]l grass. The leaves in spring furnish an excellent pot- 
herb. A April-N ov. § 
83. SONCHUS. 
Gr. copdos, holiow 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 spinulose. 
fleads with many yellow flowers. 
1. S. oLERAcEUS, Common Sow Thistle-—Lvs. sagittate-amplexicaul, runci- 
nate, subspinulose, dentate ; ped. downy; invol. at length smooth.—@) 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.) Rough Sow Thistle. 
Sz. glandular-hispid above; Jvs. 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. ARVENSIS. Corn Sow. Thistle. 
Rt. creeping, perennial; st. glabrous, erect; dvs. 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. § ‘ 
JOrveEr LXXVI. LOBELIACE. a 
Herbs or shrubs with a milky juice. Lvs. alternate, without stipules. 
Fis. axillary and terminal. 
Cal. superior, the limb 5-lobed or entire. 
Cor.—Limb irregular, 5-lobed, the tube inserted into the calyx. 
Sta. 5, inserted with the corolla and alternate with its lobes. 
Anth. coherent into a tube. Polle7z oval. 
Ovd. adherent to the calyx tube. Stylesimple. Stig. surrounded with a fringe. 
Fy. a capsule, 2 or 3-(rarely 1-)celled, many-seeded. 
Most abundant in countries near the tropics, as W. Indies, Brazil and the Sandwich Islands, but they 
are found also throughcut the temperate zones. 
Properties.—All the species are poisonous, being pervaded by an acrid, narcotic juice. The common 
Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) is an exceedingly active medicine, emetic, suderific and expectorant. It 
should be used, however, with great caution, since “less thana teaspoonful of the seeds or the powdered 
leares would destroy life in a few hours.” Dr. Gray. The other species produce similar effects, but ina 
ess degree. 
Genera. 
Corolla tube cleft on the upper side to near the ee aaah ingsbinsaie ih : : . Lobelia. 1 
Corolla tube short, entire, limb bilabiate. . P F ; - . Clintonia. 2 
1. L 0 B E L I a 
In honor of Matthias de Lobel, physician and betanist 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 ; capsule opening at the summit; seeds minute. Her- 
baceous plants, with the jis. axillary and solitary vy, or in terminal, bracted 
Tacemes. 
4, L. carpiwitis. Cardinal Flower. 
St. erect, simple, lvs. eo finely serrate, acute er acuminate, 
