174 LOBELIACE^. 



about the end of June, and continue often till frost cuts them 

 off. Native of North America. 



L. cardinalis {Cardi7ial-/loiaer). — This is one of the best 

 kno\\Ti and oldest, having been known to gardeners for a couple 

 of centuries, and is one of those which florists have lately been 

 operating upon with so much success in the production of new 

 varieties. It is an erect-growing plant, reaching the height of 

 3 feet or more under good cultivation. The leaves are lance- 

 shaped, tapering only slighdy till near the point, and distantly 

 and slightly toothed. Flowers in a terminal one-sided raceme, 

 brilliant scarlet, appearing in July onwards till October. Native 

 of Virginia. There is a scarce and pretty dwarf variety of this 

 species named L. c. na7ia. It grov/s about i foot or 18 inches 

 high, and is valuable chiefly on this account for narrow borders 

 or small beds. 



L. Dortmanni {Doi'tmann^ s L.) — This is a British aquatic 

 species. It is only adapted to grow in ponds or lakes, or where 

 it may be immersed ; but where such places require to be 

 furnished with choice vegetation this plant should be known 

 and remembered : the blue spikes or racemes are very beautiful, 

 waving above the surface of the water. The plant forms dense 

 tufts of dark-green, short, nearly cylindrical, blunt, hollow 

 leaves, which are quite immersed. The flower-stems are erect, 

 and carry the spikes of beautiful pale-blue flowers about 6 or 9 

 inches above the surface of the water. Native of the lakes of 

 northern Europe and America, besides those of Great Britain 

 and Ireland. It is only suited for shallow water, and is a good 

 subject for hardy aquariums. 



L. fulgens {Fulgent L.) — This is a handsome and striking 

 plant, and one of the species at present engaging the attention 

 of florists. It grows about 3 feet high, or 4 if well encouraged. 

 The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, long, and slightly toothed, 

 and dark red. The stems are smooth and round, and very 

 slightly downy. The flowers, in rather loose terminal racemes, 

 are intense glowing scarlet. They appear in July or August, 

 and last till frost cuts them off. Native of Mexico. The variety 

 L.f. ignea is, if possible, a more striking plant than the species 

 — the leaves are darker in tone, the stems very slightly if at all 

 downy, and the flowers more intensely glowing. 



L. splendens {Splendid L.) — This species, if anything less 

 brilliant in colour than the last, is yet the more imposing of the 

 two. They are very nearly related, and resemble each other 

 in a general way rather closely. But in the present plant there 

 is more vigour of stem, broader and thicker leaves, and both 

 stem and leaves are closely covered with very short, hoary 



