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Useful Temperate Plants

Lobelia tupa

L.

Campanulaceae

+ Synonyms

Dortmanna berteroi (A.DC.) Kuntze

Dortmanna bicalcarata Kuntze

Dortmanna mucronata (Cav.) Kuntze

Dortmanna philippiana Kuntze

Dortmanna tupa (L.) Kuntze

Lobelia bicalcarata (Kuntze) Zahlbr. ex K.Schum.

Lobelia feuillei (G.Don) G.Nicholson

Lobelia mucronata Cav.

Lobelia serrata Meyen

Rapuntium mucronatum (Cav.) C.Presl

Rapuntium tupa (L.) C.Presl

Tupa berteroi A.DC.

Tupa cavanillesiana G.Don

Tupa feuillei G.Don

Tupa montana Phil.

Tupa mucronata (Cav.) A.DC.

Common Name: Devil's Tobacco

No Image.

General Information

Lobelia tupa is a robust, perennial plant producing several stems from the base. These stems are hollow, usually unbranched and either herbaceous or somewhat woody; the plant growing around 50 - 300cm tall[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It has potential for use as an ornamental[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

The whole plant is poisonous[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
630
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Ingestion of the latex can result in intestinal distress and bloody diarrhoea[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
Many, if not all, species in the genus Lobelia contain a range of piperidine alkaloids, particularly lobeline and lobelanine. If ingested, these can cause a range of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma. Generally, the degree of toxicity is only moderate and plants are only harmful in larger quantities - indeed several species have medicinal uses and a few are even eaten as wild foods[
293
Title
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
]
Even smelling this plant has been known to cause sickness[
274
Title
Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas
Publication
 
Author
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J
Website
http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Publisher
Botanical Research Institute, Texas.
Year
1999
ISBN
1-889878-01-4
Description
An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
].

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

S. America - southern central Chile.

Habitat

Regions of deciduous forest and evergreen temperate rain forest, growing along roadsides, fields, streambanks, grassy slopes and forest margins; at elevations up to 400 metres, occasionally to 940 metres[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height2.00 m
PollinatorsHummingbirds, Bees
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Lobelia tupa is cold-hardy to about -10°c, but in areas with mild maritime winters plants can be induced into early growth in the spring and this growth is more susceptible to frost damage[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Best grown in full sun or in an open position in light shade with some shelter from the wind[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Requires a permanently moist fertile loamy soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The flowers are usually fertilized by hummingbirds, but

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A juice (latex[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
]) pressed from the leaves is used to relieve the pain of toothache[
192
Title
Narcotic Plants
Publication
 
Author
Emboden. W.
Publisher
Studio Vista
Year
1979
ISBN
0-289-70864-8
Description
A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics.
,
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
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.
,
630
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The latex is known to cause great discomfort (and possibly blindness) if rubbed into the eyes[
2056
Title
Revision of Lobelia Sect. Tupa (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)
Publication
Sida 19(1): 87-110, 2000
Author
Lammers T.G.
Publisher
 
Year
2000
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The plant is smoked as an intoxicant[
192
Title
Narcotic Plants
Publication
 
Author
Emboden. W.
Publisher
Studio Vista
Year
1979
ISBN
0-289-70864-8
Description
A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
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.
]. Said to have a narcotic effect, though there is no certainty that this plant is truly hallucinogenic[
630
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. 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 the spring[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants can also be divided and potted up in the autumn and kept in a cold frame over the winter to protect against losses in severe winters[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-11-08. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Lobelia+tupa>

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