Lobelia with leaves between lance and linear-shaped, crowded together, and quite entire; toothlets of the cup very long; flowers blue.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The Empalement.
2. A Blossom spread open, with the chives in their place.
3. A half ripe seed-pod.
4. The Pointal, with the summit detached and magnified.
5. A ripe seed-vessel, cut transversely.
About the year 1786, this plant was sent by Mr. F. Masson, to the royal gardens at Kew; as we find it in the catalogue of that collection. Nevertheless a single plant of it was not to be found in any of our botanic gardens, for these few years back; until the recent introduction of it, by Mr. Niven, to the Hibbertian Collection in 1789. It is a very delicate shrub; grows to the height of eighteen inches; branching but little, and producing mostly two flowers at the termination of each branch. It may be increased by cuttings, or from the seed, which ripens in this country; but, like most of the species of this genus, it is not a long lived plant. It approves most of a light sandy peat, with a small mixture of loam; and to be kept in rather a small pot, in proportion to the general size used for plants of the same bigness. Flowers in July.[Pg 522]
