Meet the Lobelias

Within five days last week, at three different locations, I photographed a number of wildflowers. It wasn’t until I got home, and tried to determine what species they were, that I discovered three of them were closely related. Lobelias are in the Bellflower family, most of which have bell-shaped corollas. In the corolla, there are two upper petals, and three lower petals.
The Great Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) above was photographed along the James Mayer Riverswalk Trail in suburban Johnstown. I had gone as far as I had planned on the trail, turned around to head back, and noticed this lone plant.

I am fairly certain that the above plant is Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata). I would expect the scientific name is derived from the fact that the calyx becomes inflated in fruit, which is very clearly seen in this photo. Native Americans were said to have smoked and chewed its leaves, hence the common name. This one was photographed at Mallards Rest, near Boswell, Somerset County.

This striking deep red one is a Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), also known as Scarlet Lobelia. This species is pollinated chiefly by hummingbirds, since most insects find it difficult to navigate the long, tubular flowers. I found this one in Fulton County while photographing Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge.