Indian tobacco is the most common of the blue lobelias, and is easily distinguished from the others by the swollen seed pods, hence the scientific species name, inflata. The common name, Indian tobacco, reflects the Native Americans' (American Indians') habit of smoking and chewing the leaves.
The Indian tobacco flowers grow on a raceme, the end of which is shown in this close up view. At the tip of the racemes are the flower buds, followed by the flowers, and then the seed pods. The Indian tobacco flower is irregular with a two-lipped corolla. The upper lip splits into two upright pointed lobes, and the lower lip is spreading with three lobes. Between the lobes of the upper lip of the Indian tobacco flower is a "rod" made up of stamens and pistils. We do not know what the greenish-yellow growth is on the lower lip.