''Lobelia'' () is a genus of flowering plants comprising 415 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan . They are known generally as lobelias.''Lobelia''.
USDA PLANTS. Starr 080716-9272 Lobelia boninensis

Description

The genus ''Lobelia'' comprises a substantial number of large and small annual, perennial and shrubby species, hardy and tender, from a variety of habitats, in a range of colours. Many species appear totally dissimilar from each other. However, all have simple, alternate leaves and two-lipped tubular flowers, each with five lobes. The upper two lobes may be erect while the lower three lobes may be fanned out. Flowering is often abundant and the flower colour intense, hence their popularity as ornamental garden subjects.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Lobelia'' was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in ''

Species plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...

'' and was named after the Flemish botanist

Matthias de Lobel Mathias de l'Obel, Mathias de Lobel or Matthaeus Lobelius (1538 – 3 March 1616) was a Flemish physician and plant enthusiast who was born in Lille, Flanders, in what is now Hauts-de-France, France, and died at Highgate, London, England. He ...

(1538–1616)., p. 89 ''Lobelia'' is probably the base form from which many other lobelioid genera are derived; it is therefore highly

paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

and not a good genus in a cladistic sense. For example, the Hawaiian species (see Hawaiian lobelioids), currently classified in several genera, originated from a single introduction to a now-submerged Hawaiian Island 15 million years ago, probably from an Asian ''Lobelia'' in ''Lobelia'' subg. ''Tupa''. A New Zealand study concluded that local species of'' Hypsela, Isotoma'' and '' Pratia'' should be treated as Lobelia.

Species list

See List of ''Lobelia'' species

Ecology

''Lobelia'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including the Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Cultivation and uses

Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants in gardens. These include '' Lobelia cardinalis''

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Lobelia fulgens'' (cardinal flower or Indian pink), '' Lobelia siphilitica'' (blue lobelia), and '' Lobelia erinus'', which is used for edging and window boxes.

Hybrids

Numerous

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

s have been produced, notably ''Lobelia'' × ''speciosa'', a hybrid derived from ''L. fulgens'', ''L. cardinalis'' & ''L. siphilitica''. The term "fan hybrids" is also used. This plant is borderline

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

and requires fertile, moist soil. It is suitable for summer bedding schemes or growing in containers. The cultivars 'Kompliment Scharlach' and 'Pink Elephant' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Traditional medicine

The species used most commonly in modern herbalism is '' Lobelia inflata'' (Indian tobacco). Use of lobelia for cardiovascular diseases may cause adverse effects. Lobelia has been used as "

asthmador Asthmador was a nonprescription treatment for the relief of bronchial asthma made by the R. Schiffmann Company. It consisted of a mixture of belladonna, stramonium and potassium perchlorate,

" in Appalachian traditional medicine. Two species, ''L. siphilitica'' and ''L. cardinalis'', were once considered a cure for

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...

. Herbalist Samuel Thomson popularized medicinal use of lobelia in the United States in the early 19th century.

Adverse effects

Many members of the genus are considered poisonous, with some containing the toxic principle

lobeline Lobeline is a pyridine alkaloid found in a variety of plants, particularly those in the genus ''Lobelia'', including Indian tobacco (''Lobelia inflata''), Devil's tobacco (''Lobelia tupa''), great lobelia (''Lobelia siphilitica''), ''Lobelia chin ...

. Because of lobeline's similarity to

nicotine Nicotine is a naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is used fo ...

, the internal use of lobelia may be dangerous to susceptible populations, including children, pregnant women, and individuals with cardiac disease. Excessive use will cause nausea and vomiting. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women and is best administered by a practitioner qualified in its use. It also has a chemical known as lobellicyonycin, which may cause dizziness.

Chemical constituents

Extracts of '' Lobelia inflata'' contain

and those from '' Lobelia chinensis'' contain apigenin,

, lobelanine, isolobelanine, lobelanidine, quercetin, coumarins,

glucoside A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes. The name was o ...

s and other

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

Mexican spurred lobelias

About eleven species native to Mexico and Central America have spurs on the flowers. These spurred lobelias appear to form a monophyletic group. Most have been classified in the genera ''Heterotoma'' (or sometimes ''Calcaratolobelia''). However, since their closest relatives such as '' Lobelia anatina'' are in ''Lobelia'', Koopman and Ayers classify them in ''Lobelia''.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q158182 Garden plants Medicinal plants Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Campanulaceae genera