Lobelia kalmii L.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Global Range: CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WI. ALB, B.C., MAN, N.B., N.S., N.W.T., ONT, QUE.

Its native range extends from Newfoundland to British Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. (Weatherbee, 2006)  

USA: CT , ID , IL , IN , IA , ME , MA , MI , MN , MT , NH , NJ , NY , ND , OH , PA , SD , VT , WA , WV , WI (NPIN, 2007) 

Canada: NB , NL , NS (NPIN, 2007)

Overall Delicate blue, irregularly shaped flowers are born on smooth stems. (Weatherbee, 2006) The plant is angled and slender. (Peattie, 1930)  

Flowers are irregularly shaped, with a fused, three-lobed bottom lip and a two-lobed top lip. The flowers are arranged in loose racemes (elongated flower heads), are blue with a white center, and are sometimes secund (leaning to one side). The bottom lip of the flower is anatomically the upper lip, since the flower twists 180 degrees on its stem as it matures. (Weatherbee, 2006) The flower corolla is pale blue. The corolla bears a straight tube split down the upper side. Two of the anthers may be bearded at the top. (Peattie, 1930) Bloom color may be white or blue. (NPIN, 2007)  

Fruit Calyx-lobes may cover the pod. The pod opening is at the top, and it is 2-celled. (Peattie, 1930)  

Leaves The lower leaves are narrowly spatula shaped and often deciduous (falling off). Stem leaves are linear, erect, and entire (no teeth). Very robust plants may have slightly longer, toothed leaves. (Weatherbee, 2006) Leaves are linear. The pedicels (small stalks) are very slender, and not as long as the threadform bracts. (Peattie, 1930)  

Stems are smooth. (Weatherbee, 2006) 

Plant is 10-50 cm tall. (Peattie, 1930) 

Flowers are 7-13 mm (1/4-1/2") long. (Weatherbee, 2006) Corolla (full length) is 1 cm. (Peattie, 1930) 

Stems is 10-40 cm (4-16") tall. (Weatherbee, 2006) 

Leaves are 1-5 cm (3/8-2") long x 1-5 mm (1/32-1/8") wide. (Weatherbee, 2006) 

Plants slender rarely over 4 dm tall, flowers 7-16 mm long, pedicels with a pair of subopposite bractioles; corolla not normally fenestrate, base of lower lip smooth; capsule ovoid, seeds rough tuberculate.

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal-flower) has a similar flower structure, but has bright red spidery flowers. Lobelia siphilitica(great blue lobelia) has large blue flowers. (Weatherbee, 2006)

Comments: Wet meadows and bogs in neutral or calcareous situations, shale or limestone beaches or cliffs, sandy flats and bogs.

This is an obligate wetland plant that very rarely occurs elsewhere. The plant is unlikely to be present in modified landscapes. It is a calciphile (alkaline-loving plant) and grows primarily on sandy, gravelly, or marly shores. It is also found inland in marly ditches, fens, and cedar woods. (Weatherbee, 2006) The plant inhabits wet limy shores and bogs. (Peattie, 1930)

Hummingbirds frequent the flowers for nectar. (NPIN, 2007)

Tolerant of saline soils. Prefers semi-open areas in mixed or coniferous woods.

It flowers in July and August. This is a native perennial. (Weatherbee, 2006) It flowers in the summer.(Peattie, 1930) Bloom time is July, August, September, and October. (NPIN, 2007)

n=7.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. In New Hampshire Kalm's lobelia is listed as Threatened. In Pennsylvania brook lobelia is listed as Endangered. In Washington Kalm's lobelia is listed as Endangered. (USDA PLANTS, 2009)

It is used as an emetic (vomit inducer), as an infusion for earaches and sores, and to counteract love medicines. (Weatherbee, 2006) Infusion of smashed plants were used as drops for abscesses and for earaches by Native Americans. (UM, 2009)

Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts. Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma. Toxic Principle: Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil. (Poisonous Plants of N.C. via NPIN, 2007)