LOBELIA FAMILY. Lobellaceaz. 



_ A still smaller-flowered species, bearing 



Pale Spiked . .. ., * , vi 



Lobelia very long shin spikes of pale blue-violet 



Lobelia spicata flowers with a usually smooth short calyx. 



Pale blue- The stem simple and leafy, the light green 



violet leaves nearly toothless, lance-shaped (ab- 



u y ruptly so at the base of the plant), or 



oblong, obtuse, but the upper ones nearly linear. 1-4 



feet high. In dry sandy soil from Me., south to N. Car., 



and southwest to Ark. and La. 



...... A small species generally found beside 



Kalm's Lobelia F f •«. i a 



LomaKMmii brooks ' or on wet banks > Wlth slender 

 Light blue- branching stem, and narrow, blunt-tipped 

 violet leaves sparingly toothed or toothless ; the 



Ju,y_ upper ones linear. The light blue-violet 



p m flowers less than ^ inch long and scattered 



loosely over the spikes. The fruit-capsule not inflated 

 (as Lobelia inflata), but small, and top-shaped or nearly 

 globular. 6-18 inches high. On wet meadows and wet 

 river-banks. Me., south to N. J., and west to Ohio and 

 S. Dak. 



Indian Tobacco The commonest species ; growing every- 

 Lobelia inflata where in dry or wet soil, within the wood 

 Light blue- or out on the meadow. An annual with a 



vioIet simple or branching slightly hairy stem. 



July-October The thin Hght green leayeg Qval pointed> 



and sparingly wavy-toothed, the uppermost very small, 

 narrow, and acute. The tiny flowers scarcely \ inch 

 long, varying in color from light blue-violet to pale lilac 

 and even white. The calyx smooth, the inflated, prolate- 

 spheroidal fruit-capsule about ^ inch long. Very acrid 

 and poisonous to taste, and commonly used in medicine. 

 Me. , south to Ga. , and west to Ark. and Neb. 



An aquatic species, smooth, slender, and 

 Water Lobelia smi p| e stemmed. Leaves all submerged, 

 Dortmanna thick, linear hollow, and tufted at the 

 base of the stem. Flowers in a loose termi- 

 nal spike, light violet, ^ inch long. 6-18 inches high. 

 Borders of ponds. N. Eng. to Pa., and northwestward. 



464 



