296 campanulAce^ 



mostly scattered, exstipulate leaves and conspicuous blue, white, 

 or rarely red, -flowers, which, except in the genus Lobelia, are 

 polysymmetric. The sepals, petals, and stamens are 5 each, the 

 calyx being gamosepalous, superior, and persistent, the corolla 

 epigynously calycifloral, polysymmetric, except in Lobelia, and 

 withering on the fruit, and the stamens alternating with the lobes 

 of the corolla, and in Jasione and Lobelia united by their anthers. 

 There are 2 — 5 carpels united in a i, 2, or more-chambered 

 inferior ovary, with a single hairy style, simple or lobed stigma, 

 and numerous ovules in each chamber, the placentation being 

 axile. The fruit is a dry capsule, crowned by the withered calyx 

 and corolla, and splitting, or opening by valves, at the side or 

 top. Many species of the Order are highly ornamental ; but few 

 are valuable either as food or medicine. The roots of Campanula 

 Rapunculus were for iierly cultivated for the table, under the name 

 of Rampions or Ramps. Lobelia is more acrid than the other 

 genera, the rare British species L, urens, deriving its name from 

 the blistering properties of its juice. The North American 

 species, L. infldta (Indian Tobacco), is useful in small doses in 

 asthma, but in large doses is a powerful emetic and narcotic 

 poison. L. cardindlis (Scarlet Cardinal), one of our most 

 brilliantly-coloured garden flowers, is also very acrid. Some 

 species of this genus contain a good deal of caoutchouc. 



1. Lobelia. — Corolla bi-labiate, the upper lip split to the base 

 of the tube ; anthers cohering in a tube. 



2. jAsfoNE. — Flowers in heads; corolla rotate with linear lobes; 

 anthers united at the base. 



3. Wahlenbergia. — Corolla polysymmetric, campanulate, 

 5-fid ; anthers free ; capsule half-superior, 3-chambered, opening 

 by valves at the top. 



4. Phyteuma. — Corolla polysymmetric, 2-lipped, with 5 long 

 linear segments; anthers free; capsule 2 — 3-chambered, bursting 

 at the sides. 



5. Campanula. — Corolla polysymmetric, campanulate, 5-fid ; 

 anthers free; capsule 3 — 5-chambered, opening by lateral pores 

 below the sepals. 



6. Legousia. — Corolla polysymmetric, rotate ; anthers free : 

 capsule long, 3 — 5-chambered, opening by lateral pores between 

 the sepals. 



I. Lobelia. — Herbs with their flowers in terminal racemes; 

 calyx superior, 5-fid ; corolla bilabiate, the upper lip split to the 

 base into 2 erect or recurved lobes, the lower with 3 pendulous 

 lobes ; stamens 5, epipetalous, with united anthers ; capsule 2 — 3- 



