LOBE'LIA RAMO'SA. 
BRANCHING LOBELIA. 
Class. 
PENTANDRIA. 
Order. 
MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
lobeliacea;. 
Native of Height. Flowers in j Duration. i Introduced 
Swan Riv. ISinches. June, Oct. |Perennial.' in 1838. 
No. 1025. 
The name of this genus, founded on that of 
Lohel, has been lately noticed. See No. 988. 
Although this plant is perennial, it is most 
easily managed, in the open garden, as a half-hardy 
annual ; a treatment which is well suited to its 
habit. In a light rich soil, it grows very freely, 
and continues flowering, in great beauty, through 
the latter part of the summer. Although we can- 
not admit it to be so splendid a flowerer as some 
of the brilliant scarlet and crimson Lobelias, still, 
Mr. Bentham’s assertion in “ The Botanist ” is 
correct, where he says “ It is by far the most ele- 
gant of all the herbaceous Lobelias.” Its fine 
blue flowers, erected on their slender branches, 
from one to two feet high, are certainly elegant 
and attractive. It was first imported to this 
country by Captain Mangles, to whom florists are 
indebted for many novelties. 
Its seeds should be sown on a slight hotbed ; 
the plants, when in rough leaf, should be potted, 
three in a pot; and in May turned into the borders. 
The seeds are very minute, and require to be 
attentively gathered. 
