LOBELIA INFLATA-INDIAN TOBACCO, 



CLASS, PENTANDRIA ; ORDER, MONOGYNIA. 

 NATURAL ORDER, LOBELIACE^E. 



GEN CHAR. Calyx five cleft. Corolla monopetalous, irregular, 

 slitted. Anthers curved, united. Stigma two-lobed. Capsule two 

 or three celled. SPEC. CHAR. Erect, covered with hairs, branch- 

 ing. Leaves ovate, serrate. Capsules much swelled. 



Monsieur Charles Plumier, an eminent French botanist of the 

 time of Louis the Fourteenth, gave the name of Lobelia to this 

 family of plants, in honor of Matthias Lobel of Lisle, who was 

 appointed botanist and physician to James the First of England, 

 and who had besides, the superintendence of a large botanic garden. 

 We have many species of them in the United States, the most of 

 which are celebrated for curiosity, beauty or use, and first in the 

 hitter class ranks the subject of our article. It has, more than any 

 other medicine of late years, attracted the attention of the public, 

 through the medium of our courts of Justice, from its improper 

 application being followed by fatal consequences in many cases. 

 Less than a tea-spoonful of the powdered seeds will surely destroy 

 life in a few hours, and yet this horrible quantity is the dose gener- 

 ally prescribed by the ignorant and reckless quacks who principally 

 use it. We sometimes employ it with great caution in regular 

 practice, but in most instances there are enough of other remedies 

 safer and better. 



