LOBELIA. 



ISl) 



An order comprisinj::^ many plants possessed of acrid and narcotic prop- 

 erties, lleprcseutod in >iortli America by tlio genus 



LOBELIA. 



Character of fho. Oenm^. — Calyx 5-cleft, witli a short, variously shaped 

 tube. Corolla-tnbe slit along the upi)er side ;• the liinl) divided into '2 

 lips, the ni)per Avitli 2 erect lobes, the lower s^jreading, 3-cl(ft. Two of 

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

 perennial herbs. Flowers axillary or in bractcd racemes. 



Lobelia inflata Linne. — fndkm Tobacco. 



JJcscrijilion. — 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 

 iil>per ones diminishing into leaf-like 

 bracts. Flowers small, in racemose 

 spikes, appearing from midsummer 

 to autumn. 



Jfabi'aL — Common along road- 

 sides and in old fields, generally in 

 dry soil. 



Lobelia syphilitica Linne. — 

 Gi'cat Lobelia. 



Description. — Cilyx hairy, Inlf 

 the length of the corolla, the sinuses 

 auriculate, its tube hemispherical. 

 Corolla much larg'cr 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. Loaves thin, acute 

 at both ends, irregularly serrate. 

 Flowers crowded in a dense spike or 

 raceme, appearing late in smnmer. 



Habitat. — In moist places ; common. 



Lobelia cardinalis Linne. — Cardinal Flonrr. 



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

 tense scarlet coloi*. 



A perenniid herb. Stem smooth or slightly pubescent, simple, 2 to 

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

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



Habitat. — In swampy places ; common. 



Fig. MO.—LobcUa syphilitica. 



