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Lobelia, also known as Indian Tobacco, is a genus in the family Campanulaceae, comprising some 200 species, some of which are cultivated in gardens. These include Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower or Indian Pink), Lobelia siphilitica (Blue Lobelia), Lobelia fulgens and Lobelia erinus, as well as some hybrids.
Some botanists place the genus and its relatives in the separate family Lobeliaceae. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group did not make a firm decision in this, listing the genus under both families.
Lobelia erinus is an annual flowering plant often grown in window boxes and hanging baskets. Many varieties have been cultivated with a wide variety of colours.
Lobelia is probably the base form from which many lobelioids are derived; it is therefore highly paraphyletic and not a good genus. For example, the Hawaiian species are part of a group including other genera that appear very different (see Hawaiian lobelioids). However, the group is not well-enough known to rearrange the classification.
Lobelia is named for the Belgian botanist Matthias de Lobel (1538-1616)
Selected species
- L. aberdarica
- L. anatina : Southwestern Blue Lobelia
- L. anceps
- L. appendiculata
- L. assurgens
- L. berlandieri
- L. boykinii
- L. canbyi
- L. cardinalis : Cardinal Flower, Scarlet Lobelia (Syn.: L. fulgens, S. splendens, L. graminea)
- L. chinensis
- L. comosa
- L. coronopifolia
- L. dortmanna
- L. erinus
- L. flaccidifolia
- L. flaccida
- L. fulgens
- L. gaudichaudii
- L. gerardii
- L. gibberoa
- L. inflata
- L. kalmii
- L. laxiflora : Sierra Madre Lobelia
- L. leschenaultiana
- L. monostachya
- L. nicotianifolia
- L. niihauensis
- L. oahuensis
- L. persicifolia
- L. pinifolia
- L. puberula
- L. pyramidalis
- L. radicans (synonym for L. chinensis)
- L. rhombifolia
- L. rosea
- L. sessilifolia
- L. siphilitica
- L. spicata
- L. tenuior
- L. tupa
- L. urens
- L. valida
- L. zeylanica
Lobelia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Setaceous Hebrew Character.
The genus is named after Matthias de Lobel (1538–1616).
Native Americans used Lobelia to treat respiratory and muscle disorders, and as a purgative. Two species, Lobelia siphilitica and Lobelia cardinalis, were considered a cure for syphilisGuédon, Marie-Françoise. Sacred Smudging in North America, Walkabout Press 2000 ISBN 0-9680029-0-3.
Herbalist Samuel Thompson made lobelia and cayenne widely popular as a medicinal aid across the country in the early 1800's.
Notes
Campanulaceae | Flowers | Medicinal herbs and fungi
Männertreu | Lobelia | ロベリア | Lobelia
"Lobelia"