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Lobelia dortmanna
| Common name: |
Water Lobelia |
Family: |
Campanulaceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
Although no specific reports have been seen for this species, most members of this genus contain the alkaloid lobeline which has a similar effect upon the nervous system as nicotine[274] |
| Range: |
Western Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Brittany |
| Habitat: |
Stony lakes and tarns with acid water[17]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
0 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 2 |
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Dortmann's Cardinalflower [P], Water Lobelia [L,B], Waterlobelia [D], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Campanulales. Bellflower family
|
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 0.3m. . It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
We rate it 0/5 for edibility and
2/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist or wet soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Bog Garden.Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antiasthmatic; Antispasmodic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emetic; Expectorant; Miscellany; Nervine.
A tincture of the fresh plant can cure headaches and noises in the
ears[4].
The following notes are for L. inflata - this species is said to have
similar actions[4].
Indian Tobacco was a traditional North American Indian remedy for a wide
range of conditions[254]. Nowadays it is used mainly as a powerful
antispasmodic herb in the treatment of respiratory and muscle disorders[254].
Acting also as a respiratory stimulant, Indian Tobacco is a valuable remedy
for conditions such as bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis[254].
The dried flowering herb and the seed are antiasthmatic, antispasmodic,
diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant and nervine[4, 7, 21, 46, 165,
171]. The plant is taken internally in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis,
whooping cough and pleurisy[238]. This remedy should be used with great
caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner[7, 21,
165]. Excess doses cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and respiratory
failure[238]. See also the notes above on toxicity.
The plant contains the alkaline 'lobeline' which has proved to be of value
in helping people to give up smoking tobacco[7, 200, 213]. It is contained in
many proprietary anti-smoking mixtures where it mimics the effects of
nicotine[238].
The alkaloids present in the leaves are used to stimulate the removal of
phlegm from the respiratory tract[213]. When chewed, the leaves induce
vomiting, headache and nausea - in larger doses it has caused death[213]. The
alkaloids first act as a stimulant and then as a depressive to the autonomic
nervous system and in high doses paralyses muscular action in the same way as
curare[213].
Externally, the plant is used in treating pleurisy, rheumatism, tennis
elbow, whiplash injuries, boils and ulcers[238].
The whole plant is harvested when the lower fruits are ripe and it is used
fresh or dried[238].
Other Uses
None known
Cultivation details
Succeeds in full sun or light shade[200]. Grows well in heavy clay
soils.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[200]. When they
are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and
grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into
their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last
expected frosts.
Division in spring[200].
Basal cuttings in spring[1]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm
long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and
keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting
well. Plant them out in the summer.
Layering in moist sand, it forms roots at the nodes[200].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
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Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Lobelia+dortmanna
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Lobelia+dortmanna
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