''Campanula thyrsoides'' is a flowering plant belonging to the family Campanulaceae.

Etymology

The species name “thyrsoides” derives from the Latin "

thyrsus A thyrsus /ˈθɜːrsəs/ or thyrsos /ˈθɜːrˌsɒs/ (Ancient Greek: θύρσος) was a wand or staff of giant fennel (''Ferula communis'') covered with ivy vines and leaves, sometimes wound with taeniae and topped with a pine cone, artich ...

" (a staff of giant fennel covered with ivy vines and leaves and associated with

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

) and refers to the shape of the upright inflorescence of this plant, similar to a panicle with severals flowers on opposite pedicels.

Subspecies

Subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

include:U.S. Department of Agriculture
*''Campanula thyrsoides thyrsoides '' *''Campanula thyrsoides carniolica''

Distribution and habitat

This species is widespread in the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

, in the

Jura mountains The Jura Mountains ( , , , ; french: Massif du Jura; german: Juragebirge; it, Massiccio del Giura, rm, Montagnas da Jura) are a sub-alpine mountain range a short distance north of the Western Alps and mainly demarcate a long part of the Frenc ...

and in the

Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

s (

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

, northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

). These plants occurs in limestone alpine lawns on the alpine or subalpine level, generally from 1500 to 2600 meters of altitude, but sometimes from 1000 meters.

Description

Campanulaceae - Campanula thyrsoides-001

''Campanula thyrsoides '' reaches approximately in height. It is a herbaceous erect and perennial

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

with a showy dense

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

with up to 200 bell-shaped pale yellow flower. The stem is densely leafed, the basal leaves are elongated lanceolate and the stem leaves are tongue-shaped.Tela-botanica
The cycle of the plant is biennial (in the first year of life the plant completes its vegetative development, in the second it blooms and bears fruit), while the buds are placed at ground level. Flowering time generally lasts from July toAugust, but sometimes as early as June. These plants are hermaphroditic. Pollination occurs through insects (entomogamous pollination) or it is

autogamous Autogamy, or self-fertilization, refers to the fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants. However, species of ...

. Each capsule fruit contains around 120 to 180 seeds. The dissemination of seeds is barochoric.

Bibliography

*Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource) URL: www.skud.info *Crook, C. H. 1951. Campanulas: their cultivation and classification. *Davis, P. H., ed. 1965–1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. *Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening *Jovanovic, S. 1970–1977. Flora SR Srbije. *Kadereit J.W. & Jeffrey C., The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Volume VIII. Asterales. Pag 41, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2007. *Kovačić, S. 2004. The genus Campanula L. (Campanulaceae) in Croatia, circum-Adriatic and west Balkan region. Acta Bot. Croat. 63:184. *Lewis, P. & M. Lynch. 1998. Campanulas: a gardener's guide 154. *Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia. Vol. 2, Bologna, Edagricole, 1982, pg. 691, . *Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea. *Wolfgang Lippert Dieter Podlech, Fiori, TN Tuttonatura, 1980.

References

thyrsoides {{Campanulaceae-stub