DESCRIPTION OF MEDICINAL, PLANTS. 
47 
Lobelia syphilitica, L. Great Blue Lobelia. Blue Car- 
dinal. Another stout, leafy-stemmed perennial, 1-3° high, 
somewhat hairy. Leaves thin, acute at both ends, 2-6' long, 
irregularly serrate; flowers nearly 1' long, light blue, pedi- 
celled, longer than the leafy bracts; calyx hirsute, the sinuses 
with conspicuous deflexed auricles, the short tubes hemis- 
pherical. In similar localities like the former. Nearly ob- 
solete, its former reputation dying out with the Indians 
amongst whom it was in use. It is on the lists, however. 
Collect the flowering herb in fall. 
Lobelia inflata, L. Indian Tobacco. A homely annual weed 
1-2° high, with simple, but oftener paniculately-branched 
stems, pubescent with spreading hairs; leaves ovate or ob- 
long, obtusely-toothed, gradually diminishing into leaf-like 
bracts, which exceed the lower short-pedicelled flowers; calyx- 
tube ovoid. FI. August-September. The herb, leaves and 
seeds are collected, separately. Over the whole State in dry 
open woodlands and pastures. The older physicians will 
well remember the excessive use of this drug by many of the 
profession 40-50 years ago. Happily, the present generation 
is better advised, and it is scarcely ever used now. Even in 
spasmodic asthma, for which it was formerly held to be a 
specific, we have now more effective remedies, which, more- 
over, are devoid of the distressing sequels of its administra- 
tion. 
ERICACEAE. (Heath Family.) 
Epigaea repens, L. Ground Laurel. Trailing Arbutus. A 
prostrate or trailing, scarcely shrubby plant, bristly with 
rusty hairs, with evergreen and reticulated rounded and 
heart-shaped alternate leaves, on slender petioles, and with 
rose-colored flowers in small axillary clusters, from scaly 
bracts, exhaling a rich spicy fragrance, dimorphous as to style 
and stamens and subdioecious. Corolla salverform; the tube 
hairy inside, as long as the ovate-lanceolate pointed and 
scale-like nearly distinct sepals. Stamens 10 with slender fila- 
ments ; anthers oblong, awnless, opening lengthwise. Style 
