''Wahlenbergia'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of around 260 species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae (also bellflower family), of the order Asterales, contains nearly 2400 species in 84 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky sap. Among them are several familiar garden plants bel ...
. Plants in this genus are
perennial
In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
or
annual
Annual may refer to:
*Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
**Literary annual
*Annual plant
*Annual report
*Annual giving
*Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
*Annuals (band), a ...
herbs
Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnish (food), garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typi ...
with simple leaves and blue to purple bell-shaped flowers, usually with five
petal
Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...
s lobes. Species of ''Wahlenbergia'' are native to environments on all continents except
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
, and on some isolated islands, but the greatest diversity occurs in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Description
Plants in the genus ''Wahlenbergia'' are annual or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs, and sometimes have
rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
s. The stems are erect, circular in cross section and have simple leaves. The leaves decrease in size up the stem and usually have small scattered teeth on their edges. The flowers are borne on the end of the stems, either singly or arranged in a
cyme. There are five
sepal
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106
Etymology
The term ''sepalum'' ...
s that remain until the fruiting stage. The
petal
Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...
s are blue to purple and are joined at their base to form a bell-shaped or funnel-shaped tube with five lobes. There are usually five
stamen
The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...
s, the
style
Style, or styles may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal
* ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film
* ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film
* '' ...
is often branched at the tip and the fruit is a
capsule containing up to fifty seeds.
Taxonomy and naming
In 1814,
Heinrich Schrader used the name ''Wahlenbergia elongata'' but the name was a
nomen nudum
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a scientific name of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published ...
. The genus was first formally described in 1821 by
Albrecht Wilhelm Roth
Albrecht Wilhelm Roth (6 January 1757 – 16 October 1834) was a physician and botanist born in Dötlingen, Germany.
He studied medicine at the Universities of University of Halle, Halle and University of Erlangen, Erlangen, where he received his ...
and the description was published in Roth's book ''Novae Plantarum Species praesertim Indiae Orientalis''. Roth retained Schrader's name ''Wahlenbergia''.
The name honours
Göran Wahlenberg
Georg (Göran) Wahlenberg (1 October 1780 – 22 March 1851) was a Swedish naturalist. He was born in Kroppa, Värmland County.
Wahlenberg matriculated at Uppsala University in 1792, received his doctorate in Medicine in 1806, was appoi ...
(a Swedish botanist who taught at
Uppsala University
Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation.
Initially fou ...
).
Distribution
The genus is widespread and species of ''Wahlenbergia'' are native to all continents except North America. The highest species diversity is in southern temperate countries, particularly
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
and
Australasia
Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand (overlapping with Polynesia), and sometimes including New Guinea and surrounding islands (overlapping with Melanesia). The term is used in a number of different context ...
and species are even found on oceanic islands. Four species are known from the island of
Saint Helena
Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory.
Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
, including the now extinct species ''
W. roxburghii''.
Wahlenbergia stricta
''Wahlenbergia stricta'', the Australian bluebell, tall bluebell or austral bluebell, is an Australian wildflower from the Campanulaceae family. It is considered the most commonly encountered of the Wahlenbergias. It is found in all Australian s ...
''
Image:Wahlenbergia violacea kz6.jpg, ''Wahlenbergia violacea
''Wahlenbergia'' is a genus of around 260 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. Plants in this genus are perennial or annual herbs with simple leaves and blue to purple bell-shaped flowers, usually with five petals lobes. Speci ...
''
Image:Wahlenbergia capensis.jpg, ''Wahlenbergia capensis
''Wahlenbergia capensis'', commonly known as the Cape bluebell, is a plant in the family ''Campanulaceae'' and is native to the Cape Province but has been introduced to Australia. It is an annual herb with up to four greenish blue, bell-shaped f ...
''
See also
*
List of ''Wahlenbergia'' species
References
{{Authority control
Campanulaceae genera
Taxa described in 1821
Taxa named by Albrecht Wilhelm Roth