Lobelia puberula

Lobelia puberula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Campanulaceae
Genus:	Lobelia
Species:	L. puberula
Binomial name
Lobelia puberula Michx.

Lobelia puberula, or downy lobelia, is a perennial herbaceous wildflower in the Bellflower family (Campanulaceae) native to eastern and south central United States. ^[1] It is the most common blue-flowered Lobelia in the Southeast. ^[2] It grows in mesic (moderate moisture) to hydric (moist) habitats in sun or partial shade. ^{[3] [4]}

Description

Downy lobelia is a perennial herb that grows up to 2.5 ft (1 m) tall. Leaves are simple with a toothed margin. The flowers are blue to violet, five-lobed, and bloom from July to October. ^[5]

Lobelia puberula is similar 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. ^[6]

References

1. "Loeblia puberula". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
2. Spaulding, Dan; Barger, T.Wayne (2016). "Keys, distribution, and taxonomic notes for the Lobelias (Lobelia, Campanulaceae) of Alabama and adjacent states" (PDF). Phytoneuron. 2016–76: 1–60. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
3. Missouri Plants
4. "Lobelia puberula". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 21 January 2018.
5. North Carolina Wildflowers
6. Caruso, C. M.; Peterson, S. B.; Ridley, C. E. (2003), "Natural selection on floral traits of Lobelia (Lobeliaceae): spatial and temporal variation", American Journal of Botany, 90 (9): 1333–40, doi: 10.3732/ajb.90.9.1333 , PMID   21659233