Lobelia cardinalis L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Campanulaceae

• Scientific Name

  Lobelia cardinalis L.

• Description

  Species Description - Erect, usually unbranched, 5–15 dm, ± hairy or largely glabrous; lvs thin, lanceolate to oblong, to 16 × 5 cm, acute or acuminate, dentate, mostly 3–5 times as long as wide, the lower short-petioled, the upper smaller, sessile or nearly so; racemes 1–4 dm; bracts linear or narrowly lanceolate; pedicels hairy, 5–15 mm, bibracteolate at base; fls 3–4.5 cm, scarlet (rarely pink to white), the lower lip glabrous within; sep linear, 8–12 mm; auricles none or minute; 2n=14. Wet soil; N.B. to Minn., s. to the Gulf of Mexico. July–Sept. Our plants, as described above, are var. cardinalis.

• Common Names

  Cardinal flower