290 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Lobelia continued. 



main flower- stems, and stronger side shoots, which also 

 bear flowers in the autumn. Plenty of water will prove 

 beneficial, and protection from rough wind must be 

 provided by tying each plant to a suitable stake. When 

 cut down by frosts, the roots may be lifted and stored 

 in a cool frame all the winter, or they may be covered 

 with a good depth of ashes or cocoa-nut fibre, and allowed 

 to remain outside. The former plan is the safest, but 

 care must be taken not to allow the roots to become too 

 dry. Lobelias are also well adapted for culture in pots, 

 for greenhouse decoration. They should be placed in a 

 rich open soil, and be provided with manure water when 

 beginning to flower. 



L. amcena (pleasing). /. pale blue ; spikes secund, many- 

 flowered. July and August. I. oblong-lanceolate, serrated, 

 usually glabrous, 6in. to Sin. long, and lin. broad, h. 1ft. to 4ft. 

 North America, 1812. Hardy perennial. L. colorata (S. B. F. G. 

 ser. ii. 180) is a garden hybrid of this species. 

 L. anceps (two-edged), fl. blue, with a white or yellowish throat ; 

 pedicels axillary, shorter than the bracts, which are linear, 

 entire. June. I. obovate, toothed, superior ones dissimilar. 

 Stems decumbent. Cape of Good Hope, 1820. Greenhouse 

 herbaceous perennial. SYNS. L. decmribem (B. M. 2277), L. rhizo- 

 phyta (B. M. 2519). 



Fm. 461. FLOWERING STEM OF LOBELIA CARDINALIS. 



L. cardinally (cardinal).* Cardinal Flower, fl. scarlet ; racemes 

 terminal, unilateral, leafy. July and August. I. oblong-lanceo- 

 late, cartilaginously denticulated, and, as well as the stems 

 glabrous, h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1626. A very stately 

 and handsome herbaceous perennial. It is not perfectly hardy 

 in our climate, but, if planted in spring, in deep rich loam, and in 

 a situation fully exposed to the sun, it will flower well through- 

 out the autumn, and, with protection, may be left in the ground 

 all the winter. See Figs. 461 and 462. (B. M. 320.) 



Lobelia continue d . 



FIG. 462. LOBELIA CARDINALIS. 



L. Cavanillesii (Cavanille's). A synonym of L. laxiflora angusti- 

 folia. 



L. coronopifolia (Coronopus-leaved). /. of a beautiful Gentiana- 

 like blue ; peduncles long, few-flowered. July and August. 

 I. lanceolate, with three or more teeth on each side. Stem pro- 

 cumbent. Cape of Good Hope, 1752. Greenhouse herbaceous 

 perennial. (B. M. 644.) 



L. O. cserulea (blue). /. purplish-blue, large, and dr 

 peduncles three or four-flowered. Cape of Good Hope, 

 (B. M. 2701.) 



It. dccumbcns (decumbent). A synonym of L. anceps. 



Fig. 463. FLOWERING BRANCH OF LOBELIA ERINUS. 



L. Erinus (Erinus).* fl. blue, with a white or yellowish throat ; 

 peduncles axillary, solitary, much longer than the leaves. 

 Summer. I. hairy at the base, toothed, lower ones obovate, 

 petiolate ; upper ones almost sessile, narrow-lanceolate, h. 6in. 

 Cape of Good Hope, 1752. Greenhouse herbaceous perennial. 

 (B. M. 901.) The varieties of this popular species are very 

 numerous, and are separated into five sections, viz. : 1, com- 

 pacta, neat and compact-growing, having both blue and white- 



