Siphocampylos
(from siphon, a tube, and kampylos, curved; alluding to the form of the corolla). SYN. Lobelia (of Presl). ORD. Campanulaceae. A large genus (nearly 100 species) of very beautiful, glabrous, hairy, or stellate-tomentose, stove or greenhouse herbs, sub-shrubs, or shrubs, sometimes climbing, natives of tropical America. Flowers red, orange, or purplish, rarely greenish, usually large; calyx tube adnate, the limb of five leafy lobes; corolla straight or incurved, the lobes often incurved, equal or unequal, sometimes bilabiate, the lateral ones sometimes connate with the upper ones; staminal tube adnate to the base of the corolla; peduncles one-flowered, ebracteate or minutely bibracteolate, axillary or forming clustered corymbs or loose racemes at the tips of the branches. Leaves alternate, rarely whorled, entire or denticulate, rarely incised-toothed or pinnately lobed or dissected. The introduced species are described below. They succeed in light, turfy loam, and peat, and are propagated by cuttings. Except where otherwise indicated, they are herbaceous perennials. S. amoenus (pleasing). A synonym of S. villosulus.
S. betulaefolius (Birch-leaved).* fl. red; calyx segments six times shorter than the corolla; pedicels axillary, solitary, exceeding the leaves. July. l. petiolate, ovate, acuminate, sub-cordate-triangular, 2in. long, somewhat double serrated, glabrous above, slenderly pubescent on the nerves beneath; petioles nearly 1in. long. Stem branched, terete, glabrous. h. 3ft. Organ Mountains, 1842. Stove. (B. M. 3973; P. M. B. ix. 223.) S. bicolor (two-coloured). A garden synonym of Lobelia laxiflora angustifolia. S. canus (hoary). A synonym of S. macropodus.
S. coccineus (scarlet).* fl. scarlet, nodding; corolla dilated upwards and curved, the limb scarcely bilabiate; peduncles longer than the leaves, axillary, solitary, one-flowered. July. l. ovate, acute, shortly petiolate, sometimes slightly lobed, doubly serrated. h. 3ft. Organ Mountains, 1844. A glabrous, stove sub-shrub. (B. M. 4178; F. d. S. ii. 9; P. M. B. xii. 173.) The variety leucostomus (F. d. S. 648) differs from the type in having the limb of the corolla almost white. A garden form, raised in the gardens of the King of Belgium, in 1850.
S. crenatifolius (crenate-leaved). fl. scarlet, tipped with yellow, axillary, solitary. Summer. l. oblong-elliptic, irregularly crenate, 5in. to 6in. long. h. 3ft. Brazil, previous to 1870. A showy, warm greenhouse shrub. (Ref. B. 227.) S. fimbriatus (fringed). A synonym of S. longepedunculatus. S. fulgens (brilliant). A synonym of S. Humboldtianus.
S. giganteus (gigantic). fl. reddish-yellow; corolla falcate, velvety, the tube equalling the calyx lobes, the lobes lanceolate-ovate; pedicels bibracteolate at base, often longer than the leaves. July. l. lanceolate, cuspidate-acuminate, 6in. to 9in. long, narrowed at base, scarcely petiolate, wrinkled, crenate-toothed, glabrous above, pilose beneath. Stem 14ft. or more in height; branches pubescent. New Grenada. Stove.
S. glandulosus (glandular).* fl. rose-coloured, nodding; calyx lobes spreading, with reflexed margins, deeply glandular-serrated; corolla tube curved, compressed, clavate, the limb segments nearly equal, erecto-patent; peduncles axillary, solitary, shorter than the leaves, one-flowered, bibracteate below the middle. July. l. rather long-stalked, cordate, wrinkled, doubly toothed. h. 3ft. Bogota, 1845. A softly pubescent, stove plant. (B. M. 4331; F. d. S. 401.) S. hamatus (hooked). fl. violet, in short, dense, terminal racemes; calyx lobes hooked, spreading; corolla tube curved, laterally angular-compressed, the segments nearly equal, elongated; primary bracts hooked at apex. June. l. alternate, petiolate, oblong-ovate or slightly cordate, acuminate, attenuated towards the base, irregularly toothed, the nerves prominent beneath. h. 6ft. Brazil, 1849. A tomentose-pubescent, greenhouse plant. S. Humboldtianus (Humboldt's).* fl. scarlet; calyx lobes ovate-triangular, shorter than the tube; corolla tube straight, the segments ovate-lanceolate, upper ones longer; pedicels axillary, compressed, equalling the leaves.