2 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



colioring in a rins^ round the style, tlic 2 lower ones generally 

 bearded at the apex. Style with a fringe of hairs round the stigma. 

 Capsule 2-celled, more rarely 3-celled, opening by 2 (or 3) valves. 



Herbs, with the flowers generally blue or lilac, in racemes, 

 eacli flower in the axil of a bract, or in some cases of a leaf. 



This genus of plants was named in honour of the Flemish physician Matthias 

 de Ix)bel. He was the author of various works, particularly that called " Icones 

 Plaiitarum." Ifo was born at Lisle in \5"^S, became botanist and physician to King 

 James I., and died in Ix)ndon in IGIG. Throughout life he was a great .traveller, and 

 a zealous promoter of his favourite science of botany. 



SPECIES I— LOBELIA DORTMANNA, Linn. 

 Plate DCCCLXI. 

 Jieich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XIX. Tab. MDCXVIII. Fig. 3. 



Leaves all radical, linear, sub-cylindrical, composed of 2 parallel 

 tubes. Scape simple, leafless or with a very few minute bract-like 

 leaves. Pedicels longer than the bracts. Elowers drooping, in an 

 elongated lax simple raceme. Calyx glabrous, obconic, the tube 

 twice as long as the segments. Corolla much longer than the 

 calyx, sub-glabrous, split above, with the 2 upper lobes linear, 

 erect ; under lip longer than the upper, 3-cleft, with the lobes 

 elliptical-oblong, sub-obtuse. Filaments free at the base, anthers 

 included, pilose at the tips, the 2 lowest bearded. 



In lakes with clear gravelly bottoms. Not uncommon in upland 

 districts. It occurs in Wales, Shropshire, Cumberland, and in 

 most of the Scotch counties, excepting those of the South-east, 

 reaching North 'to Sutherland and the Hebrides, and the Isle of 

 Hoy, in Orkney. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer. 



Hoot of numerous long simple pure- white brittle fibres. Leaves 

 numerous, glabrous, all in a radical tuft, 1 to 3 inches long, rather 

 t-liickcr than a crow-quill, slightly recurved, obtuse, submerged. 

 Stem solitary, or rarely 2 or 3 from one root, 1 to 2 feet high, hollow, 

 unbranclied, frequently with a few scale- or bract-like leaves. 

 Jlaccnie rising out of the water, lax, with 3 to 15 drooping flowers 

 on rather short very slender pedicels. Bracts oblong-lanceolate, 

 o])tuse, much shorter than the pedicels, herbaceous. I'lowers J to 

 1 mch long, very pale lilac. Capsule drooping, broadly clavate, 

 acummate, the point exceeding the lobes of the calyx, and termi- 

 nated by the style. Plant glabrous. 



IFatc)^ Lobelia. 

 French, LohHiti. de, Dorfumnn. CJerman, Wasser Lobelie. 



