Lobelia spicata
 
Spiked Lobelia

Stamen Tube and Pistil

Highway #10 and East Saltcoats Grid
15-July-2006

This flower has been dissected.  The anther tube is formed from the union of three larger anthers and two somewhat smaller anthers.  Note the pubescence on the back of the larger anthers.  Note also the tuft of hairs at the tip of the two smaller anthers.  Finally, note the ring of hairs below the apex of the stigma.

Note that some taxonomists place the Lobelia genus in the Campanulaceae family.

 

Spicata:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  

plants terrestrial; NOT [plants aquatic, with leaves all submerged]

plants of drier soils; NOT [plants of moist marshy places]

stems leafy; NOT [leaves all basal]

stem leaves lanceolate to oblanceolate to ovate, usually more than 10 mm wide; NOT [stem leaves linear, less than 10 mm wide]

flowers in a spike-like raceme; NOT [flowers in a loose raceme, on lax pedicels]

racemes many-flowered; NOT [racemes few-flowered]

 

Lobelia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

perennials; NOT annuals

corolla-tube split to near the base on the upper side

capsule 2-celled; NOT 1-celled

 

Lobeliaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family. 

herbs

plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]

plants often with milky juice; NOT [plants without milky juice]

NOT climbing plants with tendrils

leaves basal or alternate; NOT [leaves opposite]

flowers NOT in heads, NOT in spikes

flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell

corolla irregular, split down one side; NOT [corolla regular, bell-shaped]

anthers united into a tube; NOT [anthers free]

ovary inferior; NOT superior