The family Campanulaceae (also bellflower family), of the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Asterales, contains nearly 2400 species in 84

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

plants,

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s, and rarely small trees, often with milky sap. Among them are several familiar garden plants belonging to the genera ''

Campanula ''Campanula'' () is one of several genera of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae commonly known as bellflowers. They take both their common and scientific names from the bell-shaped flowers — ''campanula'' is Latin for "little bell" ...

'' (bellflower), '' Lobelia'', and ''

Platycodon ''Platycodon grandiflorus'' (from Ancient Greek "wide" and "bell") is a species of herbaceous flowering perennial plant of the family (biology), family Campanulaceae, and the only member of the genus ''Platycodon''. It is native plant, native ...

'' (balloonflower). '' Campanula rapunculus'' (rampion or r. bellflower) and ''

Codonopsis lanceolata ''Codonopsis lanceolata'', also called deodeok or lance asiabell, is a flowering plant native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East). It is a variety of bonnet bellflower. Description It is a hardy perennial climber that gr ...

'' are eaten as vegetables. '' Lobelia inflata'' (indian tobacco), '' L. siphilitica'' and '' L. tupa'' (devil's tobacco) and others have been used as medicinal plants. ''

Campanula rapunculoides ''Campanula rapunculoides'', known by the common names creeping bellflower, rampion bellflower, rover bellflower, garden bluebell, creeping bluebell, purple bell, garden harebell, and creeping campanula, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the ge ...

'' (creeping bellflower) may be a troublesome weed, particularly in gardens, while ''

Legousia ''Legousia'' (Venus' looking-glass) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, native to Europe. Species in the genus used to be placed under genus ''Specularia'' along with plants in genera '' Triodanis'' and '' Heterocodon'' a ...

'' spp. may occur in arable fields. Most current classifications include the segregate family Lobeliaceae in Campanulaceae as subfamily Lobelioideae. A third subfamily, Cyphioideae, includes the genus ''

Cyphia ''Cyphia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family, native to Africa; and particularly South Africa.Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. Continental Publishing, Deurne. It has been placed in ...

'', and sometimes also the genera ''

Cyphocarpus ''Cyphocarpus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Campanulaceae. It has been placed in its own subfamily, Cyphocarpoideae.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards)"Campanulaceae" ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website''. Retrieved 2022-04-23. It contains three kn ...

'', ''

Nemacladus ''Nemacladus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family known generally as threadplants. Species are native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. These are annual herbs with very slender, sometimes threadlike, bra ...

'', ''

Parishella ''Nemacladus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family known generally as threadplants. Species are native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. These are annual herbs with very slender, sometimes threadlike, bra ...

'' and ''

Pseudonemacladus ''Pseudonemacladus'' is a genus of plants in the Campanulaceae. It contains only one known species, ''Pseudonemacladus oppositifolius'', native to north-eastern Mexico (States of San Luis Potosí and Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hid ...

''. Alternatively, the last three genera are placed in Nemacladoideae, while ''

'' is placed in its own subfamily, Cyphocarpoideae. This family is almost

cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. In addition, species of the family are native to many remote oceanic islands and archipelagos. Hawaii is particularly rich, with well over 100 endemic species of Hawaiian lobelioids. Continental areas with high diversity are South Africa, California and the northern Andes. Habitats range from extreme deserts to rainforests and lakes, from the tropics to the high Arctic (''

Campanula uniflora ''Campanula uniflora'', known commonly as arctic bellflower and arctic harebell, is a short and slender rhizomatous perennial in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. It is distributed in arctic North America, including the Rocky Mountains and G ...

''), and from sea cliffs to high alpine habitats.

Description

Although most Campanulaceae are perennial herbs (sometimes climbing, as in ''

Codonopsis ''Codonopsis'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae. As currently recognized, ''Codonopsis'' includes two other groups sometimes separated as distinct genera, i.e. ''Campanumoea'' and ''Leptocodon.'' The enlarged genus ''Codo ...

''), there is also a large number of annuals e.g. species of ''

''. '' Isotoma hypocrateriformis'' is a

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

annual from Australia's dry interior. There are also

biennials A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...

, e.g. the commonly cultivated ornamental ''

Campanula medium ''Campanula medium'', common name Canterbury bells, is an annual or biennial flowering plant of the genus '' Campanula'', belonging to the family Campanulaceae. In floriography, it represents gratitude, or faith and constancy. Etymology The spe ...

'' ( Canterbury bells). Many perennial campanuloids grow in rock-crevices, such as '' Musschia aurea'' (

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

) and ''

Petromarula pinnata ''Petromarula'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. There is only one known species, ''Petromarula pinnata'', endemic to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. The name "Petromarula" means "rock lettuce" in Greek, a reference to ...

'' ( Crete). Some lobelioids also grow on rocks, e.g. the peculiar perennial stem succulent ''

Brighamia rockii The Hawaiian lobelioids are a group of flowering plants in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, subfamily Lobelioideae, all of which are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. This is the largest plant radiation in the Hawaiian Islands, and indeed the ...

'' in Hawaii. Insular and tropical montane species in particular are often more or less woody and may bear the leaves in a dense rosette. When, in addition, the plant is unbranched, the result may be a palm- or treefern-like habit, as in species of the hawaiian genus '' Cyanea'', which comprises the tallest of Campanulaceae, ''C. leptostegia'' (up to 14 m). ''

Lysipomia ''Lysipomia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. They are cushion-like mountain plants all endemic to the high Andes. The genus is monophyletic. There are about 40 described species. There are about 10 more recognized ...

'' are minute cushion plants of the high Andes, while gigant rosette-forming lobelias (e.g., '' Lobelia deckenii'') are a characteristic component of the vegetation in the alpine zone on the tropical African volcanoes. In the Himalaya ''Campanula modesta'' and ''Cyananthus microphyllus'' reach even higher, probably setting the altitudinal record for the family at 4800 m. Several species are associated with freshwater, such as ''

Lobelia dortmanna ''Lobelia dortmanna'', Dortmann's cardinalflower or water lobelia, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. This stoloniferous herbaceous perennial aquatic plant with basal leaf-rosettes and flower stalks grows to ...

'', an isoetid common in

oligotrophic An oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments. Oligotrophs are characterized by slow growth, low rates of ...

lakes in the

boreal Boreal may refer to: Climatology and geography *Boreal (age), the first climatic phase of the Blytt-Sernander sequence of northern Europe, during the Holocene epoch *Boreal climate, a climate characterized by long winters and short, cool to mild ...

zone of North America and Europe, and ''

Howellia aquatilis ''Howellia aquatilis'', the water howellia, is a small plant in the family Campanulaceae and was considered a threatened species between 1994 and 2019. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Howellia''. Thomas Jefferson Howell and Josep ...

'', an elodeid growing in ponds in SW North America. There is usually abundant, white latex, but occasionally the exudate is clear and/or very sparse, as in ''

Jasione ''Jasione'' is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae which are native to Europe. Four species have been found in Turkey and west Mediterranean areas. Species include: * '' Jasione amethystina'' * '' Jasione bulgarica'' * ' ...

''. Tubers occur in several genera, e.g. ''

''.

Leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are often alternate, more rarely opposite (e. g. ''

'') or whorled ('' Ostrowskia''). They are simple (''

Petromarula ''Petromarula'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. There is only one known species, ''Petromarula pinnata'', endemic to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. The name "Petromarula" means "rock lettuce" in Greek, a reference to ...

'' one of very few exceptions) entire (repeatedly divided in spp. of ''Cyanea''), but often with dentate margin. Stipules are absent. Inflorescences are quite diverse, including both cymose and racemose types. In ''Jasione'' they are strongly condensed and resemble asteraceous capitula. In a few species, e. g. ''

Cyananthus lobatus ''Cyananthus lobatus'', commonly known as the lobed-leaved cyananth or trailing bellflower, is an ornamental flowering plant of the family Campanulaceae. Description ''Cyananthus lobatus'' is a perennial plant which grows into a low mat up t ...

'', flowers are solitary. Flowers are

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

(

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

in '' Dialypetalum'') and

protandrous Sequential hermaphroditism (called dichogamy in botany) is a type of hermaphroditism that occurs in many fish, gastropods, and plants. Sequential hermaphroditism occurs when the individual changes its sex at some point in its life. In particular, ...

. Petals are fused into a corolla with 3 to 8 lobes. It may be bell- or star-shaped in subfamily Campanuloideae, while tubular and bilaterally symmetric in most Lobelioideae. Blue of various shades is the most common petal colour, but purple, red, pink, orange, yellow, white, and green also occur. The corolla may be down to 1 mm wide and long in some species of '' Wahlenbergia''. At the other extreme, it reaches a width of 15 cm in ''Ostrowskia''. Stamens are equal in number to, and alternating with the petals. Anthers may be fused into a tube, as in all species of Lobelioideae and some Campanuloideae (e.g. ''

Symphyandra ''Campanula'' () is one of several genera of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae commonly known as bellflowers. They take both their common and scientific names from the bell-shaped flowers — ''campanula'' is Latin for "little bell" ...

'') Within the family pollen grains are often tricolporate, less commonly triporate,

tricolpate The eudicots, Eudicotidae, or eudicotyledons are a clade of flowering plants mainly characterized by having two seed leaves upon germination. The term derives from Dicotyledons. Traditionally they were called tricolpates or non-magnoliid dic ...

, or pantoporate. Carpel number is usually 2, 3 or 5 (8 in '' Ostrowskia''), and corresponds to the number of stigmatic lobes. The style is in various ways involved in the "presentation" of the pollen, as in several other families of the order Asterales. In Lobelioideae, pollen is, already in the bud stage, released into the tube formed by the

anther The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s. During flowering, it is pushed up by the elongating style and "presented" to visiting pollinators at the apex of the tube, a mechanism described as a pollen pump. The style eventually protrudes through the anther tube, and becomes receptive to pollen. In Campanuloideae, the pollen is instead packed between hairs on the style, gradually being released as the hairs invaginate. Subsequently, the stigmatic lobes unfold, and become receptive. Bees and birds (particularly hummingbirds and hawaiian honeycreepers) are probably the most common pollinators of Campanulaceae. A few confirmed and many probable cases of bat-pollination are known, particularly in the genus ''

Burmeistera ''Burmeistera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. There are around 130 species distributed in Central and South America.Muchhala, N., & Potts, M. D. (2007)Character displacement among bat-pollinated flowers o ...

''. ''Brighamia'' and '' Hippobroma'' have pale or white flowers with a long-tubed corolla, and are pollinated by

hawkmoths The Sphingidae are a family of moths ( Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, b ...

. Pollination by lizards has been reported for '' Musschia aurea'' and '' Nesocodon mauritianus''. The ovary is usually inferior or, in some species, semi-inferior. Very rarely is it completely superior (e.g. ''

Cyananthus ''Cyananthus'' is a genus of flowering plants that consists of about 30 species of annual or mostly perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through th ...

''). In ''Campanumoea javanica'', calyx and corolla diverge from the ovary at different levels. Berries are a common fruit-type in Lobelioideae (''

'', '' Clermontia'', ''

Centropogon ''Centropogon'' is a plant genus in the family Campanulaceae. In systems where the Lobeliaceae are recognized as distinct, ''Centropogon'' is placed there. Selected species * '' Centropogon aequatorialis'' * '' Centropogon albostellatus'' * ' ...

'', '' Cyanea'' etc.), whilst rare in Campanuloideae (''

Canarina ''Canarina'' is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae. They are herbaceous perennial vines with bell-shaped flowers. The best known species is ''Canarina canariensis'' from the laurel forests of the Canary Islands which is ...

'' being one of few examples). Capsules, with very varying modes of dehiscence, are otherwise the predominating fruit type in the family. Seeds are mostly small (<2 mm) and numerous.

Subfamilies and genera

The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website divides the family into five subfamilies.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards)
"Campanulaceae"
''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website''. Retrieved 2022-04-23. Campanuloideae * '' Adenophora'' - Europe and Asia * '' Asyneuma'' - S. Europe and Asia * ''

Azorina ''Azorina'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae, whose sole species, ''Azorina vidalii'', the Azores Bellflower, is endemic to the Azores. Its fragmented population is made up of fewer than 1000 mature plants ...

'' - Azores * ''

Berenice Berenice ( grc, Βερενίκη, ''Bereníkē'') is the Ancient Macedonian form of the Attic Greek name ''Pherenikē'', which means "bearer of victory" . Berenika, priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC, is the oldest epigraphical evidence. Th ...

'' -

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

* ''

'' - mostly N hemisphere * ''

Campanulastrum ''Campanula americana'', the American bellflower, or tall bellflower, is a bellflower native to eastern North America. Tall bellflowers can be annual or biennial with a varying life-history with seeds germinating in the fall producing annual pla ...

'' Small (may be included in ''Campanula'') * ''

'' -

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

and E Africa * ''

'' - E Asia * ''

Craterocapsa ''Craterocapsa'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains 5 known species, all native to southern Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30 ...

'' - South Africa * '' Cryptocodon'' - C Asia * ''

'' - E Asia * '' Cyclocodon'' Griff. ex Hook.f. & Thomson * '' Cylindrocarpa'' - C Asia * ''

Echinocodon ''Echinocodon'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. There is only one known species, ''Echinocodon lobophyllus'', endemic to the Chinese Province of Hubei. References External links

* Campanuloideae Flora of Hubei Monotyp ...

'' - China * ''

Edraianthus ''Edraianthus'' (rock bells or grassy bells) is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. ''Edraianthus'' species are native to mountain regions of the Balkan, including Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro and Serb ...

'' - SE Europe and W Asia * ''

Favratia ''Favratia zoysii'', known commonly as Zois' bellflower, Zoysi's harebell, or crimped bellflower, is the sole member of the genus ''Favratia'', closely related to '' Campanula '' (bellflowers). Distribution and habitat The plant is endemic to Au ...

'' Feer * ''

Feeria ''Feeria'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. There is only one known species, ''Feeria angustifolia'', endemic to Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb regi ...

'' - Morocco * ''

Githopsis ''Githopsis'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family which are known as bluecups. These are small annual wildflowers with white or purple white-throated blooms. Bluecups are native to western North America, especially Cal ...

'' - W N America * '' Gunillaea'' - Tropical Africa and Madagascar * ''

Hanabusaya ''Hanabusaya'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, containing the single species ''Hanabusaya asiatica''. It is endemic to Korea. It is known in English as diamond bluebell and in Korean as ''Geumgang Chorong'', ...

'' - Korea * '' Heterochaenia'' - Réunion * ''

Heterocodon ''Heterocodon'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the bellflower family containing the single species ''Heterocodon rariflorum'', which is known by the common names rareflower heterocodon and western pearlflower. It is native to western North A ...

'' - SW N America * '' Himalacodon'' D.Y.Hong & Qiang Wang (may be included in ''Codonopsis'') * '' Homocodon'' - China * ''

'' - Europe and SW Asia * '' Kericodon'' Cupido * ''

'' - Europe and N Africa * ''

Merciera ''Merciera'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains 6 known species, all endemic to Cape Province in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. I ...

'' - South Africa * ''

Michauxia ''Michauxia'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains 7 known species native to southwestern Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own ...

'' - Middle East * ''

Microcodon ''Microcodon'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains four known species, all endemic to South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded ...

'' - South Africa * ''

Muehlbergella ''Muehlbergella'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains a single species, ''Muehlbergella oweriniana''. It is critically endangered Distribution The species is endemic to an area of ~40 km2 in Dage ...

'' Feer * ''

Musschia ''Musschia'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It contains three known species, all endemic to the Madeira Archipelago in the eastern North Atlantic, part of the Republic of Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Repu ...

'' -

* ''

Namacodon ''Namacodon schinzianum'' is a species of plant in the family Campanulaceae, endemic to Namibia. It was originally described by Friedrich Markgraf Friedrich Markgraf (1 February 1897 in Berlin-Friedenau – 8 March 1987 in Zurich) was a Ge ...

'' - SW Africa * '' Nesocodon'' - Mauritius * '' Ostrowskia'' - C Asia * '' Pankycodon'' D.Y.Hong & X.T.Ma (may be included in ''Codonopsis'') * '' Peracarpa'' - SE Asia * ''

'' - Crete * ''

Physoplexis ''Physoplexis comosa'', the tufted horned rampion, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Campanulaceae, native plant, native to alpine Europe. It is the only species in its genus, and was formerly included in ''Phyteuma' ...

'' - Alps * ''

Phyteuma ''Phyteuma'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, native to Europe and Morocco. The common name is rampion, a name shared with the related plant ''Campanula rapunculus''. Rampion features prominently in some versions of t ...

'' - Europe and Asia * ''

'' - E Asia * ''

Prismatocarpus ''Prismatocarpus'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Campanulaceae. Its native range is South African Republic. Species: *''Prismatocarpus alpinus'' *''Prismatocarpus altiflorus'' *''Prismatocarpus brevilobus'' *''Prism ...

'' - Southern Africa * '' Pseudocodon'' D.Y.Hong & H.Sun (may be included in ''Codonopsis'') * '' Rhigiophyllum'' - South Africa * '' Roella'' - South Africa * '' Rotanthella'' Morin (may be included in ''Campanula'') * '' Sachokiella'' Kolak. * '' Sergia'' - C Asia * '' Siphocodon'' - South Africa * '' Theilera'' - South Africa * ''

Theodorovia ''Theodorovia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Campanulaceae. It only contains one known species, ''Theodorovia karakuschensis'' Its native range is Iran, the Transcaucasus and Turkey. The genus name of ''Theod ...

'' - C Asia * '' Trachelium'' - SE Europe, Middle East and C Asia * '' Treichelia'' - South Africa * ''

Triodanis ''Triodanis'' is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae, native to North and South America. Venus' looking-glass is a common name for plants in this genus. Species include: *''Triodanis biflora'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Greene - small ...

'' - Americas and S Europe * '' Wahlenbergia'' - mostly Southern hemisphere * '' Zeugandra'' - Iran Lobelioideae * '' Apetahia'' - Society Islands * ''

Brighamia The Hawaiian lobelioids are a group of flowering plants in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, subfamily Lobelioideae, all of which are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. This is the largest plant radiation in the Hawaiian Islands, and indeed the ...

'' - Hawaii * ''

'' - N Andes and C America * ''

'' - Neotropics * '' Clermontia'' - Hawaii * '' Cyanea'' - Hawaii * '' Delissea'' - Hawaii * '' Dialypetalum'' - Madagascar * '' Diastatea'' - Neotropics * ''

Dielsantha ''Dielsantha'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It has only one known species, ''Dielsantha galeopsoides'', native to tropical West Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the islands in the Gulf ...

'' - Tropical Africa * ''

Downingia ''Downingia'' is a genus of 13 annual plants native to western North America and Chile. Commonly known as calico flowers, they are notable for forming mass displays of small but colorful blooms around vernal pool Vernal pools, also called ver ...

'' - W N America and S S America * '' Grammatotheca'' - South Africa * '' Heterotoma'' - Mexico * '' Hippobroma'' - W Indies * ''

Howellia ''Howellia aquatilis'', the water howellia, is a small plant in the family Campanulaceae and was considered a threatened species between 1994 and 2019. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Howellia''. Thomas Jefferson Howell (botanist) ...

'' - SW N America * '' Isotoma'' - Australia * ''

Legenere ''Legenere'' is a genus in the Campanulaceae, bellflower family, with only one species, ''Legenere limosa'', an annual wildflower endemic (ecology), endemic to limited portions of Northern California. The species common name is false Venus's look ...

'' - California * '' Lobelia'', including ''Hypsela'', ''Laurentia'', ''Pratia'', ''Trimeris'' - cosmopolitan * ''

'' - Andes * '' Monopsis'' - Southern Africa * ''

Palmerella ''Palmerella'' is a genus of plants in the family Campanulaceae. It has only one known species, ''Palmerella debilis'', long known by the synonym ''Lobelia dunnii''. It is native to 8 counties in southern California (San Diego, Orange, Riverside ...

'' - California * ''

Porterella ''Porterella'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family containing the single species ''Porterella carnosula'', which is known by the common name fleshy porterella, or simply porterella. The species is native to the wes ...

'' - SW N America * ''

Ruthiella ''Ruthiella'' is a genus of plants in the Campanulaceae. It contains 4 known species, all endemic to New Guinea.Lammers, T.G. (2007). World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae: 1-675. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ke ...

'' - New Guinea * '' Sclerotheca'' - Society Islands * ''

Siphocampylus ''Siphocampylus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. There are approximately 221 species native to the Neotropical realm. Most grow in mountain habitat.Saburi, W., Reato, L. R., & de Godoy, S. A. P. (2005)Floral venation ...

'' - Neotropics * '' Solenopsis'' - S Europe and N Africa * ''

Trematolobelia The Hawaiian lobelioids are a group of flowering plants in the Campanula, bellflower family, Campanulaceae, subfamily Lobelioideae, all of which are Endemism, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. This is the largest plant Adaptive radiation, radiation ...

'' - Hawaii * ''

Unigenes ''Unigenes'' is a genus of plants in the Campanulaceae. It has only one known species, ''Unigenes humifusa '', endemic to South Africa. References

* {{Taxonbar, from1=Q9091486, from2=Q15554533 Lobelioideae Monotypic Campanulaceae genera F ...

'' - South Africa * ''

Wimmerella ''Wimmerella'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Campanulaceae. It is also in the Lobelioideae subfamily. It is native to the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal within South Africa. Known species There are 10 accepted species; ...

'' - South Africa Cyphioideae * ''

'' - Africa Cyphocarpoideae * ''

'' - N Chile Nemacladoideae * ''

'', syn. ''Parishella'' - SW N America * ''

'' - Mexico ,

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

includes some genera in Campanulaceae that are not included by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: *''

Eastwoodiella ''Eastwoodiella californica'' is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae, known by the common names swamp bellflower and swamp harebell. It is the sole species in genus ''Eastwoodiella''. This is a hairy rhizome, rhi ...

'' Morin *''

Hesperocodon ''Hesperocodon hederaceus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Wahlenbergia hederacea'', also known as the ivy-leaved bellflower, is a species of flowering plant that is found throughout Europe. It is the only species in the genus ''Hesperocodon''. T ...

'' Eddie & Cupido *'' Lithotoma'' E.B.Knox *'' Melanocalyx'' (Fed.) Morin *'' Palustricodon'' Morin *'' Poolea'' Morin *'' Protocodon'' Morin *''

Ravenella ''Ravenella'' is a genus of plants in family Campanulaceae. It includes four species endemic to California. *''Ravenella angustiflora'' *''Ravenella exigua'' *''Ravenella griffinii'' *''Ravenella sharsmithiae'' References

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''Morin *''

Smithiastrum ''Smithiastrum'' is a genus of plants in the Campanulaceae or bellflower family found in the western United States. Its members are commonly known as harebells and were previously included in the family's type genus, ''Campanula'', and were segr ...

'' Morin *''

Wimmeranthus ''Wimmeranthus'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Campanulaceae. It contains a single species, ''Wimmeranthus inopinatus'', an annual plant, annual endemic to Oaxaca in southwestern Mexico. It is known from a specimen colle ...

'' Rzed.

Fossil record

The earliest known occurrence of Campanulaceae

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

is from

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...

strata In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...

. Earliest Campanulaceae macrofossils dated, are seeds of

† A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species). It is one of the modern descendan ...

''Campanula paleopyramidalis'' from 17-16 million years old Miocene deposits in the Nowy Sacz, Carpathians, Poland. It is a close relative of the extant

Campanula pyramidalis ''Campanula pyramidalis'', the chimney bellflower, is a species of ''Campanula'', native to southeastern Europe in Italy and the western Balkans. ''Campanula'' means "bell-like" referring to the bell-shape of its flowers, while ''pyramidalis'' me ...

Chemical compounds

Members of subfamily Lobelioideae contain the alkaloid

lobeline Lobeline is a pyridine alkaloid found in a variety of plants, particularly those in the genus ''Lobelia'', including Indian tobacco (''Lobelia inflata''), Devil's tobacco (''Lobelia tupa''), great lobelia (''Lobelia siphilitica''), ''Lobelia chin ...

. The principal storage carbohydrate of Campanulaceae is inulin, a fructan also occurring in the related Asteraceae.

Description

Subfamilies and genera

Fossil record

Chemical compounds

Literature

References

External links