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Useful Tropical Plants

Lobelia chinensis

Lour.

Campanulaceae

+ Synonyms

Dortmanna campanuloides (Thunb.) Kuntze

Dortmanna chinensis (Lour.) Kuntze

Dortmanna radicans (Thunb.) Kuntze

Isolobus caespitosus (Blume) Hassk.

Isolobus campanuloides (Thunb.) A.DC.

Isolobus kerii A.DC.

Isolobus radicans (Thunb.) A.DC.

Isolobus roxburghianus A.DC.

Lobelia caespitosa Blume

Lobelia campanuloides Thunb.

Lobelia japonica F.Dietr.

Lobelia kerii (A.DC.) Heynh.

Lobelia radicans Thunb.

Lobelia roxburgiana (A.DC.) Heynh.

Pratia radicans G.Don

Pratia thunbergii G.Don

Rapuntium caespitosum (Blume) C.Presl

Rapuntium campanuloides (Thunb.) C.Presl

Rapuntium chinense (Lour.) C.Presl

Rapuntium radicans (Thunb.) C.Presl

Common Name:

Lobelia chinensis
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Mokkie
Creative Commons License
Lobelia chinensis Lobelia chinensis Lobelia chinensis

General Information

Lobelia chinensis is a creeping or decumbent perennial plant with slender, branched stems that root at their lower nodes. The plant forms a clump of growth 6 - 30cm tall[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Although poisonous, this plant is often used in Chinese herbal medicine. It is frequently harvested from the wild and is traded in local markets.

Known Hazards

The plant contains the alkaloid lobeline which has a similar effect upon the nervous system as nicotine[
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

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Habitat

Wet places, especially around paddy fields and in lowland all over Japan. Moist, grassy localities, along water courses and on cultivated land, like rice fields, tea and cinchona plantations, mainly between 500 - 1,600 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.15 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



At least in Malaysia, this species propagates mainly by vegetative means[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
]. Stems or stolons are dispersed by various means, including water, and these root to form new plants[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

This plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
The whole plant is antiphlogistic, depurative, diuretic and febrifuge[
147
Title
A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Running Press; Philadelphica.
Year
1977
ISBN
0-914294-92-X
Description
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
,
176
Title
Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
Publication
 
Author
Yeung. Him-Che.
Publisher
Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles
Year
1985
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
]. Taken as an alcoholic macerate, it is used as a lung tonic and for the treatment of tuberculosis, asthma and bloody vomiting. A strong decoction is taken as a diuretic and cathartic; it can stimulate respiration, lower the blood pressure, stop bleeding and reduce swellings[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Applied externally as a decoction or as a poultice of the fresh leaves, it is used in the treatment of swellings, sores and abscesses; the bites and stings of poisonous insects and animals; tooth abscesses, ascites and traumatic injuries[
147
Title
A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Running Press; Philadelphica.
Year
1977
ISBN
0-914294-92-X
Description
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The fresh plant can also be crushed and used as a poultice[
147
Title
A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Running Press; Philadelphica.
Year
1977
ISBN
0-914294-92-X
Description
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
].

The root is antiinflammatory, antirheumatic, antisyphilitic, cathartic, depurative and diuretic[
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. It is used in the treatment of kidney problems[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a container. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Division.
Basal cuttings in the doemant season[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade until they are rooting well.
Layering in moist sand, it forms roots at the nodes[
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: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Lobelia%20chinensis>

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