Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 335 



SPIKED LOBELIA (Lobelia spicata) is a smaller 

 flowered species having a simple leafy stem from 



1 to 4 feet in height. The leaves vary greatly in 

 shape from lance-shaped to oblong, and decrease in 

 size rapidly as they approach the flower spike. The 

 small, pale blue-violet flowers are set in short smooth 

 calyces. The upper lip of the corolla has two small 

 lobes and the lower one is divided into three, larger, 

 spreading ones. It is commonly found in dry, sandy 

 soil from N. S. to Manitoba and southwards. 



INDIAN TOBACCO (Lobelia inflata) is the most 

 common of the Lobelias; it is found growing every- 

 where in either sandy or moist soil, in woods or in 

 fields. The alternating leaves are pointed-oval and 

 sparingly wavy-toothed; the lower ones are quite 

 large, while the upper ones are very small. The sim- 

 ple stem is stout and quite hairy; it grows from 1 to 



2 feet in height. The little blue-violet flowers are 

 barely one quarter inch long, each seated in a large, 

 smooth inflated calyx. This species of Lobelia is 

 used very freely in the compounding of various medi- 

 cines and, in one form or another, is supposed to cure 

 a great many of the ailments of mankind. The leaves 

 were used by Indians for chewing, but have a very 

 nauseating taste; they have poisonous properties and 

 will cause ill effects if swallowed. 



The flower calyces enlarge still more after the cor- 

 ollas have withered away, and form round seed pods 

 that follow closely up the stem on the heels of the 

 flowers, for the succession of bloom is from the bot- 

 tom of the spike towards the top. 



WATER LOBELIA (Lobelia Dortmanna) is a 

 species found on the borders of ponds or even in the 

 water. The flowers are similar to those of the other 

 species, but the leaves are thick, linear and in a tuft 

 at the base of the hollow stem. It is quite common 

 from N. E. and N. Y. northwards. 



