BELLFLOWER, LOBELIAS AND GOODENIAS. 61 
means some affinity to the order of Composite is demonstrated. 
Unlike to the Bellflowers the corolla of the Lobelias is not sym- 
metrically shaped, but slit along the upper side and has the two 
upper lobes smaller than the three lower ones, thus a two-lipped 
corolla being formed ; the fruit of Lobelias moreover opens with 
two terminal valves. That the milk-sap of Lobeliaceze contains 
an acrid poisonous principle (Lobelin) is well known, and losses 
of pastoral animals are often sustained in our colony by their 
feeding on these herbs, particularly at seasons, when grasses 
and other fodder-plants are scarce. Twelve Lobelias occur in 
Victoria and two of the allied genus Isotoma, which differs in no 
other respect than the uncleft tube of the corolla. Isotoma 
axillaris is a large-flowered showy plant, occurring in fissures of 
granite-rocks of the North-East portion of our territory. Some 
small creeping Lobelias are alpine. The following representative 
is described and figured : 
Lobelia purpurascens—A perennial glabrous herb, with 
procumbent angular stems. Leaves on very short petioles, oval- 
lanceolar, irregularly toothed, half to one inch long. Flower- 
stalks axillary, solitary, exceeding the leaves in length, one- 
flowered, recurved towards the summit. Flowers unisexual ; 
lobes of the calyx 5, narrow, acute, persistent; tube obverse 
conical in the pistillate flowers, less conspicuous in the staminate 
flowers. Corolla hardly half an inch long ; the three lower lobes 
wedgeshaped-lanceolar, the two upper much narrower and more 
acute. Filaments connate towards the summit. Anthers 
unbearded, the two lower ones terminated by minute bristlets ; 
those of the seed-bearing flowers diminute and sterile. Pollen 
grains ellipsoid, bursting lengthwise. Style slender; stigma 
broad, unequally bilobed. Fruit connate with the tube of the 
calyx, two-celled. Seeds numerous, minute, compressed, albu- 
minous. Embryo straight. 
This species is an inhabitant of East Gippsland, passing 
thence to South Queensland. 
The Campanulacez conduct us through close affinity to the 
important orders of Goodeniacez and Stylidez ; both are mainly 
Australian and have special interest on account of the curious 
