8694.000 Lobelia L.

Annual or perennial herbs (in ours). Stems not twining. Leaves alternate. Bracteoles minute, ± linear, rarely 0. Flowers usually resupinate, zygomorphic. Corolla usually 2-lipped with upper lip 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed (rarely all petals form a single lip). (The terms 'upper' and 'lower' assume flowers are resupinate). Anthers (5) united into a tube; the two lower or all of them penicillate at tip, the two lower ones somewhat shorter than others. Ovary inferior to ± superior, 2-locular. Stigma lobes 2, surrounded by a ring of hairs. Fruit a capsule dehiscing by 2, rarely 4, apical valves; or, rarely indehiscent.

Derivation of name: after Mathias de L'Obel (Lobelius) (1538-1616), Flemish botanist, traveller and plant collector. (Clarke, Charters & Moll-Ed., 202, 2016).

Worldwide: c. 300 species in tropical and warm areas, a few temperate.

Botswana: 3 taxa.