206 lobeliace^:. 



Involucre simple, of many loaves. Receptacle naked* 

 Pappus plumose. Aciienia longitudinally striate, contract- 

 ed into a long, filiform beak. — Bie.nniel European herbs, with 

 long linear gi-ass-like leaves, and terminal solitary heads. 



1. T. PORRIFOLITJS, L. Salsify. Vegetable Oyster. 



Leaves long, linear, undivided, straight ; peduyicles thickened upwards; involucre 

 much longer than the corolla. Stem 3 to 4 foot high. Flowers terminal, solitary, 

 large, bluish purple or sometimes pale straw-color. Native or Europe, cultivated 

 lor its long tapering root, which is nutritious, and when properly prepared has a 

 jaild sweetish taste, similar to that of the oyster. 



71. CATANANCIIE, Linn. 



Gr. lata, anagJce, from necessity ; it must necessarily be admired. 



Involucre imbricated, scarious. Receptacle paleaceous. 

 Pappus paleaceous, 5-leav«d; pale.e awned. — Annual ori- 

 ental herbs, with alternate leaves, and solitary heads of showy flow* 

 crs. 



1. C. CCERULEA, L. Blue-flowered Catananche. 



Leaves linear and lanceolate, villous 6omewhat bipinnatifid at base; involucre 

 stales ovate, mucronate. A handsome annual from South Europe, 2 to 3 feet 

 high. H&ads solitary, on long peduncles. Flowsrs blue, ligulate. Corollas toothr 

 ed at apex. July — Sept. 



Order 59. LGBEIIAOEID.— Lobelia Family, 



ITerbs (often with milky juice) with alternate leaves and scattered forcers, an <K 

 .refftdar monopttalous Globed corolla' split down to the base on one side; the 5 stamens 

 free from the corolla, and united into a tube both by their fdaments and their an- 



afi«rs.— Calyx-tube adherent to the many-seeded capsule. SirLEl; etigha fringed* 



Ssaos anatropous. 



1. LOBELIA, Linn. Cardinal Flower. 



la honor of Matthias de Lobel, a Flemish botanist of the close of the 16th century. 



Calyx 5-cleft, with a short ovoid tube. Corolla irreg- 

 ular, cleft on the upper side, 2-lipped ; lower lip 3-cleft, up- 

 per lip of 2 rather erect lobes. Stigma 2-lobed. Capsule 

 2-celled, many-seeded, opening at the top. — Herbaceous 

 plants, with alternate leaves, and Hue, white or red flowers, in am- 

 illary, or terminal, bracted racemes, 

 ■*■ Flowers deep red. 



1. L. oardinalts, L. Cardinal Flower. 



Smoothish; stem erect, simple, pubescent; leaves oblong-lanoeolat*, acute at boflt 

 ends, slightly toothed ; raceme elongated, rather one sided ; ptdiacU much ah&rtaf 

 itbaa the loaf-like bracts; stamens longer than the corolla. 





