Perenniel. — Flowers from July to September. 
Root fibrous. Stem from one to two feet high, upright, branch- 
ed, leafy, angular, roughish, not hairy. Root-leaves elliptical, 
smooth, bluntish, narrowed at the base into foot-stalks, somewhat 
toothed. Stem-leaves distant, alternate, sessile, rather decurrent, 
with shallow, irregular, tooth-like serratures. Clusters upright, 
long, simple, lax, with short, roughish partial flower-stalks. 
Bracteas, upper ones spear-shaped, lower ones nearly strap-shaped, 
and terminating at top in 3 little teeth. Calyx (fig. 3.) 5-cleft, 
rough, segments awl-shaped, upright. Corolla light purplish-blue, 
slightly downy. Tube twice the length of the calyx, ribbed, of a 
pale colour. Anthers (fig. 2.) incurved, downy externally, black- 
ish. Capsule, (fig. 3.) of 2 cells. Whole plant milky, foetid, and 
very acrid. 
It is a very rare plant, and deserving of culture ; may be raised 
from seed, or increased by dividing the roots. 
The drawing was made from a plant, which was presented to the 
Oxford Botanic Garden, by the Rev. Dr. Barnes, Canon of Christ 
Church, who has kindly favoured me with the following informa- 
tion respecting its locality. 
“ The plant of Lobelia urens, which flowered in the Physic 
Garden, in the year 1832, was found growing wild on Kilmington 
Common, about a mile and a half from Axminster, Devon, on the 
great Western Road. It is to be found in tolerable abundance on 
the north side of the road, immediately on entering the common 
from the eastward ; growing amongst short furze, and tufts of grass, 
on dry ground, not bog, as represented in some books on Botany, 
nor in the blackish earth in which the Heath grows ; but on poor, 
stony, clayey loam, which forms a tract running northward, oppo- 
site a public house called the George. It seems to increase by 
seeds and to be either biennial or perennial. The plants of the 
first year do not flower, but produce only a few leaves, which lie 
flat on the ground, and are generally protected by the edge of the 
short furze bushes or tufts of grass.” 
1 he Natural Order Lobei.ia'ce.*, to which the present plant belongs, is com- 
posed of dicotyledonous, Herbaceous Plants or Shrubs, with alternate leaves, 
without stipules. The Flowers are axillary or terminal; the Calyx superior, 
5-lobed, or entire ; the Corolla monopetalous, irregular, inserted in the calyx, 
and 5-lobed, or deeply 5-cleft. The Stamens are 5 in number, and inserted 
into the calyx alternately with the lobes of the corolla ; Anthers cohering ; 
Pollen oval. The Ovarium (Germen) is inferior, with from 1 to 3 cells; the 
Ovula are very numerous, and are attached either to the axis, or to the lining ; 
the Style is simple; and the Stigma is surrounded by a cup-like fringe. The 
Fruit is capsular, and 1- or more-celled, cells many-seeded, dehiscing at the 
apex. Seeds attached either to the lining, or to the axis of the pericarpium ; 
Embryo straight, in the axis of the fleshy albumen ; Radical pointing to the 
Hilum. See Lindley’s Synopsis. 
