Lobelia siphilitica

Lobelia siphilitica

The great blue lobelia, great lobelia or blue cardinal flower (Lobelia siphilitica L.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Campanulaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Subkingdom Tracheobionta,
Spermatophyta superdivision,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Asteridae,
Order Campanulales,
Campanulaceae family,
Subfamily Lobelioideae,
Genus Lobelia,
L. siphilitica species.
The terms are synonyms:
– Dortmanna siphilitica (L.) Kuntze;
– Dortmannia siphilitica (L.) Kuntze;
– Lobelia antisyphilitica Hayne;
– Lobelia belgica De Jonghe;
– Lobelia bollii E.Wimm.;
– Lobelia coelestis Nutt.;
– Lobelia coelestis Nutt. ex Loudon;
– Lobelia densiflora Rennie;
– Lobelia reflexa Stokes;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. alba (G.Don & W.H.Baxter) Voss;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. albiflora Britton;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. laevicalyx Fernald;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. ludoviciana (A.DC.) Voss;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. purpurea E.J.Palmer & Steyerm.;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. purpurea Voss;
– Lobelia siphilitica f. siphilitica;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. alba G.Don & W.H.Baxter;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. bollii (E.Wimm.) E.Wimm.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. candida Alph.Wood;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. densiflora (Rennie) E.Wimm.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. grandis E.Wimm.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. ludoviciana A.DC.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. maculata A.DC.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. minor Hook.;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. rosea N.Coleman;
– Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica Linnaeus;
– Rapuntium siphiliticum (L.) Mill.;
– Rapuntium syphiliticum Moench.
It is a plant which, according to some authors, has some varieties, however this question is mainly due to its polymorphism.

Etymology –
The term Lobelia was given to the genus by Linnaeus to the Flemish botanist Mathias de Lobel (or de L’Obel, Latinized in Matthaeus Lobelius, 1538-1616), physician and botanist of the king under James I of England, of the court in London, and author of a famous Historia plantarum.
The specific epithet siphilitica is linked to the use of the plant in traditional medicine against syphilis.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Lobelia siphilitica is a plant native to the eastern United States where it grows in the north, from Maine to Manitoba, and in the south, from North Carolina to Texas. Scattered populations can be found as far west as Wyoming and Colorado.
Its habitat is woodland or more open areas, in moist to partially shaded terrain, including swampy forests, roadside ditches, floodplains, lake margins, and moist grasslands.

Description –
Lobelia siphilitica is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches 100 cm in height, with a central tap root system, which occasionally produces basal offshoots.
This plant has a single ridged, unbranched stem, which is smooth or sparsely hairy.
The leaves are glabrous or not very hairy, of variable shape from elliptical to lanceolate, slightly narrowing at the base; they are about 5 cm wide and about 5 to 15 cm long; they are alternate and attached to the stem without leaf stalk.
In the terminal part it produces zygomorphic flowers; these are more closely clustered towards the top of the raceme and become rarer further down with the lower flowers beginning to bloom first. The flowers of this species of Lobelia are considerably larger than many other species of the same genus; they are blue or purple in color but can be lighter, even white and are usually about 2.5 cm long; they have 5 petals; the lower 3 petals are fused and the upper 2 petals are usually curled back. Also between the two upper petals protrudes a curved style. The lower central lobe is wider and has 2 small bumps near the throat which are lighter in colour.
The anthesis is towards the end of summer.
The fruits are two-chambered pods with an auriculate base and have many small seeds.
The seeds are oval, translucent and golden brown in color and are assumed to be distributed by wind or water.

Cultivation –
Lobelia siphilitica is a perennial herbaceous plant which is harvested in the wild for local use in traditional medicine but is also much appreciated as an ornamental plant, so much so that it is sold in North America in nurseries.
For its cultivation it requires moist soil, both in full sun and in partial shade.
It usually flowers in its first year of growth from seed, but is short-lived unless divided frequently.
It is a plant that often reseeds itself.
The plant, although self-compatible, needs other insects and above all bumblebees and bees to be pollinated. Bees use the three lower fused petals as a landing pad. A bee of suitable weight will depress these petals on its way to the flower’s nectar, this lowers the stigma by rubbing it against the bee’s back.
Propagation occurs by seed; this must be sown as soon as it is ripe. When the young seedlings appear, once they reach the size to be handled, they must be placed in individual pots and grown in a greenhouse or protected area during the winter.
Transplanting in the open field is done in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
It can also be propagated by division of the basal stem in the spring. In this case, a portion of about 10 cm is collected with abundant underground stem; these should be placed in an area protected from the cold, or in a greenhouse, until they take root well, and transplanted in summer.

Customs and Traditions –
Lobelia siphilitica was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum in 1753.
It is a plant of ancient medicinal traditions so much so that the Native Americans already used it in their medicine traditionally, to treat respiratory and muscular ailments. It was once considered a cure for syphilis by the first European settlers, from which, as mentioned, the scientific name of the species originates.
Some North American Indian tribes believed that if finely ground roots were secretly added to the food of an arguing couple, it would prevent divorce and, therefore, they would love each other again.
This plant, like others of the genus Lobelia, contains a series of piperidine alkaloids, in particular lobeline and lobelanine. If ingested, these can cause a range of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilated pupils, seizures and coma. In general, the degree of toxicity is only moderate and plants are harmful only in larger quantities; in fact several species have medicinal uses and some are even eaten in the wild.
The root is cathartic, diaphoretic and emetic; this is used in the treatment of dropsy, diarrhoea, upset stomach, syphilis and dysentery.
A root poultice was applied to sores that are difficult to heal.
The leaves are analgesic and febrifugal.
An infusion has been used in the treatment of colds and fevers.
A poultice of crushed leaves is applied to the head to ease the pain of headaches.
In the traditional medicine of the North American natives, the fresh root was used (which still contained the volatile oils) and they also used it together with Podophyllum peltatum and Prunus virginiana, and then they dusted the ulcers with the bark of Ceanothus americanus.
A homeopathic remedy is also obtained from the roots.

Method of Preparation –
Lobelia siphilitica is a plant that boasts an ancient history in the traditional medicine of the North American Indians.
These populations used its freshly harvested root in the treatment of dropsy, diarrhea, stomach ailments, syphilis and dysentery.
The poultice of the root was also applied to purulent and difficult to heal sores.
The leaves were also used as an analgesic and febrifuge. An infusion was used in the treatment of colds and fevers.
A remedy for headaches was prepared using a poultice of crushed leaves and applied to the painful area.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/227261583/original.jpeg

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.