Lobelia hartwegi

Lobelia hartwegi A. DC. in Benth. PI. Hartw. 16. 1839
Lobelia velutina Mart. & Gal. Bull. Acad. Brux. 9^; 41. 1842. (Galeolti 1969, Brux.!) Dortmannia Harluegii Ktintze, Rev. Gen. 972. 1891.
Stem erect, simple, 40-90 cm. high, up to 3.5 mm. in diameter at base, purplish below, mostly conspicuously short-pubescent, especially below, arising from tuberous roots up to 6 mm. in diameter by 6 cm. long; leaves more or less appressed or spreading, linear-lanceolate to ovate or linear-oblong, mostly 3-6 (10) times as long as wide, pubescent both sides or nearly glabrous, acute at tip or the lower obtuse; base of blades cuneate, subpetiolate to subclasping, the lower leaves sometimes purplish beneath, 1.2-3 cm. wide by 2.5-6 cm. long, the upper leaves 0.6-2.2 cm. wide by 5-S cm. long; margins sharply and irregularly or merely callosetoothed ; inflorescence a spike, usually strongljsecund, few-3S-flowered, few-30 cm. long, on a leafless peduncle 8-24 cm. long; pedicels terete, 3-6 mm. long, densely pubescent; bracteoles linear, 1 mm. long, near base of pedicel, or apparently wanting; flower-bracts linear-lanceolate or subulate, pubescent, acuminate, toothed, the lowest up to 1 mm. wide and 13 mm. long (average 3-8 mm. long); flower pendent by bend at base of hj-panthium, 17-19 mm. long, including hypanthium; corolla blue (?), pubescent without, the tube fenestrate, 9-11 mm. long, the three lower lobes ovate, 3 mm. wide by 6 mm. long, rather sharply deflexed, the two upper lobes 1 mm. wide by 4-5 mm. long, more or less upright; filament-tube 5-7 mm. long, not reflexed, glabrous, the filaments free about one-third their length; anther-tube dark bluish, 2.5-3.0 mm. long, all the anthers bright-white-tufted at tip; hjTJanthium in anthesis short campanulate, pubescent, in fruit [Hinion 2951) hemispherical, 4 mm. wide; capsule inferior; calyx-lobes linear, acute, pubescent, callose-toothed, i-5 mm. long; seeds smooth, shining.
Type locawty: Bolafios (state?), between Mexico and Zacatecas (Harlweg 102, Kew!). Distribution: Oaxaca to Mexico (state), at elevations of 1500-2500 m.