138 LOBELIA FEAYANA. DR. FEAY S LOBELIA. 



considerable repute among his contemporaries and successors. 

 Gilibert, a French author, who, in 1 798, pubHshed a history of 

 the plants of Europe, especially refers to Lobel in terms of re- 

 spect. He was Flemish by birth, having been born at Lille, but 

 settled in England, "where," says one author, "he published 

 several learned botanical treatises." He. was appointed botanist 

 and physician to King James the ist of England, and died in 

 London in 161 6. 



It appears, however, that the species which were originally 

 used to commemorate Lobel have been removed to another 

 genus, Scccvola; and others, which had been placed in the genus 

 subsequent to its original formation, were left to bear the honors 

 of the old family-name. Great numbers of species once Lobelias 

 have been removed to other genera, but it is still formidable in 

 number, perhaps not less than two hundred being still considered 

 as true Lobelias. They are scattered over most parts of the 

 world, many of them being found on the American continent. 

 Dr. Gray, in his " Synoptical Flora of North America," enumer- 

 ates twenty-three, besides many marked varieties worthy of dis- 

 tinctive botanical names ; and it is very remarkable, considering 

 how widely the species are scattered over the world, that not 

 one has been discovered, as yet, on the Pacific coast. Some 

 species grow as far west as the Rocky Mountains. New species, 

 however, are still being discovered, several having been found 

 of late years, and the present one. Lobelia Fcayana, is among the 

 most recent of these modern discoveries. Dr. Gray received it 

 from South and East Florida, through Dr. Feay, Dr. E. Palmer 

 and Mrs. Mary Treat; and from the last named the plants were 

 obtained, which, on the grounds of the Bussey Institute, enabled 

 our drawing to be made. It is said to be remarkably effective 

 among the early spring flowers of this flowery land, and when 

 generally introduced to garden culture, will no doubt be as great 

 a favorite as its African relative, the common blue Lobelia, which, 

 in so many respects, it resembles. One of the greatest differ- 

 ences will be noted in the lip, which, in our species, is of three 



