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 poisonous white viscid
juice, of an acrid taste. It has often been used in medicine
as an emetic, expectorant, etc. L. cardinalis is the
cardinal flower, remarkable for the deep and vivid red color
of its flowers.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) |