280 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
ART. XXXIX.-OBSERVATIONS ON LOBELIA CARDINAL1S. 
By William Procter, Jr. 
Lobelia inflata is the most important individual of this 
genus, yet thinking that the plant under consideration might 
possess a similar constitution, though less active, the following 
experiments were undertaken to ascertain the truth of that 
supposition. 
The sequel will demonstrate, that the active principle of 
this plant possesses many of the characteristics of lobelina, 
the active portion of Lobelia inflata, while the medicinal 
power of the one is so inferior to that of the other, as to war- 
rant the existence of two distinct principles. 
botanical history. 
Lobelia cardinalis. 
Natural Family Lobeliacese, of Jussieu and Lindley. 
Pentandria monogynia, of Linn^us. 
This genus is distinguished by a five-cleft calyx, five-parted 
carolla, irregular, cleft on the upper side nearly to the base; 
anthers cohering; stigma two-lobed, and capsules two or three 
celled. 
Vulgar names. Cardinal Plant, Cardinal Flower, and 
Scarlet Lobelia. 
Lobelia cardinalis. This plant has a fibrous root, similar 
to that of other species of the genus, which is whitish yellow, 
having a nauseous disagreeable taste, somewhat similar to that 
of the inflata, though in an inferior degree. The stem is 
erect, simple, pubescent; leaves lance-ovate, acuminate, denti- 
culate; racimes somewhat one-sided, many flowered; stamens 
larger than the carols. — Eaton. Barton. The whole plant 
emits a milky acrid juice when wounded, though the root is 
more pungent than any other portion. 
This plant, in favorable situations, sometimes attains the 
height of four feet, though generally not more than two. It 
grows in wet or very damp places, along the margins of 
