Volume 5 — PLATE CCCXXXIX.

LOBELIA CORONOPIFOLIA.

Buck’s-horn-leaved Lobelia.

CLASS XIX. ORDER VI.

SYNGENESIA MONOGAMIA. Tips united. Flowers simple.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx 5-fidus. Corolla 1-petala, irregularis. Capsula infera, 2-seu 3-locularis.

Cup 5-cleft. Blossom 1-petal, irregular. Capsule beneath, 2 or 3-celled.

See Lobelia pinifolia, Pl. CCLXXIII. Vol. IV.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Lobelia foliis lanceolatis, dentatis, glabris; floribus solitariis, axillaribus; pedunculis elongatis; stigmatibus obtusis, pilosis.

Lobelia with lance-shaped leaves, toothed and smooth; flowers solitary, from the base of the leaves; foot-stalks lengthened; summits blunt, hairy.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

The character of most of the Lobelias from the Cape, and elsewhere, is, that they are either annual or biennial, and can scarcely be considered as shrubs. Our present subject is a biennial from the Cape of Good Hope, flowers the first year from the seed, if sown in March, and may be preserved a second year; but, as it seeds so abundantly, it is scarce worth the pains to preserve it, as the plants of one year’s growth are so much handsomer than those preserved through the winter. It flowers from July till October, and should be kept in sandy peat earth.

The L. coronopifolia was introduced to the Kew Collection in 1787, by Mr. F. Masson, and is now in most collections.