Lobelia cardinalis

Lobelia cardinalis

Taxobox
name = "Lobelia cardinalis"


image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Campanulaceae (Lobeliaceae)
subfamilia = Lobelioideae
genus = "Lobelia"
species = "L. cardinalis"
binomial = "Lobelia cardinalis"
binomial_authority = L.

"Lobelia cardinalis" (Cardinal Flower) is a species of "Lobelia" native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada south through the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America to northern Colombia.Germplasm Resources Information Network: [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?22456 "Lobelia cardinalis"] ]

Growth

It is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows up to 1.2 m tall and is found in wet places, streambanks, and swamps. The leaves are up to 20 cm long and 5 cm broad, lanceolate to oval, with a toothed margin. The flowers are usually vibrant red, deeply five-lobed, up to 4 cm across; they are produced in an erect raceme up to 70 cm tall during the summer to fall. Forms with white (f. "alba") and pink (f. "rosea") flowers are also known.Missouriplants: [http://www.missouriplants.com/Redalt/Lobelia_cardinalis_page.html "Lobelia cardinalis"] ]

"Lobelia cardinalis" is related to two other "Lobelia" species in to the Eastern United States, "Lobelia inflata" (Indian Tobacco) and "Lobelia siphilitica" (Great Lobelia); all display the characteristic "lip" petal near the opening of the flower and the "milky" liquid the plant excretes. It has been known to cause an upset in the digestive system when consumed.

Etymology

It was introduced to Europe in the mid 1620s, where the name "Cardinal flower" was in use by 1629, likely due to the similarity of the flower's color to the miters of Roman Catholic Cardinals [Donaldson, C. (1999). [http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/wildflower/1999fa_cardinal.html Cardinal Flower – Spectacular Scarlet Blossoms That Hummingbirds Adore] . "Plants & Gardens News" 14 (3). online at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Accessed 23 May 2006.] .

Cultivation and uses

This plant is easily propagated by dividing and spreading out the young plants which form around the older mature plants each year. Although the plant is generally considered a perennial any one plant may only live 7 to 10 years and then die. To insure that your whole collection of cardinal flowers do not die off at the same time be sure to propagate some new plant lines using seeds at least every 4 years.

Along with red forms of bee balm this plant is a must if you want to attract hummingbirds. North American indigenous peoples used root tea for a number of intestinal ailments and syphilis. Leaf teas were used by them for bronchial problems and colds, "inter alia". The Meskwaki people used it as part of an inhalant against catarrh. Although related to tobacco, it was apparently not smoked, but may have been chewed. [Guédon, Marie-Françoise. "Sacred Smudging in North America", Walkabout Press 2000] The plant contains a number of alkaloids. As a member of the genus "Lobelia", it is considered to be potentially toxic.Foster, Steven and James A. Duke. "Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants". Peterson Field Guides, Houghton, Mifflin 1990 edn. ISBN 0-395-92066-3]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lobelia cardinalis — Lobelia Lo*be li*a (?; 106), n. [NL. So called from Lobel, botanist to King James I.] (Bot.) A genus of plants, including a great number of species. {Lobelia inflata}, or Indian tobacco, is an annual plant of North America, whose leaves contain a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lobelia cardinalis —   Lobelia cardinalis …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lobelia cardinalis — Kardinalslobelie Ausschnitt eines Blütenstandes der Kardinalslobelie (L. cardinalis) Systematik Unterklasse …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lobelia cardinalis — purpurinė lobelija statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Lobelijinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Lobelia cardinalis), paplitęs Šiaurės ir Pietų Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Lobelia cardinalis angl. cardinal flower; scarlet… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Lobelia cardinalis — Cardinal Car di*nal, n. [F. carinal, It. cardinale, LL. cardinalis (ecclesi[ae] Roman[ae]). See {Cardinal}, a.] 1. (R. C. Ch.) One of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the pope s council, or the sacred college. [1913 Webster] The clerics… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lobelia cardinalis — ID 48365 Symbol Key LOCA2 Common Name cardinalflower Family Campanulaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Lobelia cardinalis — noun North American lobelia having brilliant red flowers • Syn: ↑cardinal flower, ↑Indian pink • Hypernyms: ↑lobelia …   Useful english dictionary

  • Lobelia cardinalis L. — Symbol LOCA2 Common Name cardinalflower Botanical Family Campanulaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Lobelia cardinalis L. ssp. graminea (Lam.) McVaugh — Symbol LOCA2 Synonym Symbol LOCAG2 Botanical Family Campanulaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Lobelia cardinalis L. ssp. graminea (Lam.) McVaugh — Symbol LOCA2 Synonym Symbol LOCAG2 Botanical Family Campanulaceae …   Scientific plant list

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