LOBELIA. 



189 



An order comprising many plants possessed of acrid and narcotic prop- 

 erties. Kepresented in North America by the genus 



LOBELIA. 



Character of the Genus. — Calyx 5-cleft, with a short, variously shaped 

 tube. Corolla-tube slit along the upper side ; the limb divided into 2 

 lips, the upper with 2 erect lobes, the lower spreading, 3-cleft. Two of 

 the anthers bearded at the top. Pod 2-ceUed, many-seeded. Annual or 

 perennial herbs. Flowers axillary or in bracted racemes. 



Lobelia inflata Liune. — Indian Tobacco. 



Description. — Calyx without auricles at the sinuses. Corolla small, pale 

 blue. Pod inflated. 



An annual or biennial herb. Stem angled or striate, paniculately 

 branched, 9 to 18 inches high, pubes- 

 cent. Leaves ovate or oblong, the 

 upper ones diminishing iuto leaf-like 

 bracts. Flowers small, in racemose 

 spikes, appearing from midsummer 

 to autumn. 



Habitat. — Common along road- 

 sides and in old fields, generally in 

 dry soil. 



Lobelia syphilitica Linne. — 

 Great Lobelia. 



Description. — Calyx hairy, half 

 the length of the corolla, the sinuses 

 auriculate, its tube hemispherical. 

 Corolla much larger than in the pre- 

 ceding species, blue, varying to white. 



A perennial herb. Stem simple, 

 1 to 3 feet high, somewhat hairy, 

 leafy to the top. Leaves thin, acute 

 at both ends, ii-regularly serrate. 

 Flowers crowded in a dense spike or 

 raceme, appearing late in summer. 



Habitat. — In moist places ; common. 



Lobelia cardinalis Linne. — Cardinal Flower. 



Description. — Flowers similar in form to the preceding but of an in- 

 tense scarlet color. 



A perennial herb. Stem smooth or slightly i^ubescent, simple, 2 to 

 4 feet high. Leaves lanceolate, denticulate. Flowers showy, in an elon- 

 gated, somewhat one-sided raceme, appearing late in summer. 



Habitat. — In swamj)y places ; common. 



Fig. 140.— Lobelia syphilitica. 



