CAMPANULA TUBULOSA

Family:- CAMPANULACEAE/Sect. CAMPANULA

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Campanula (L) Bell-like.

Tubulosa (L) Large-tubular.

General description:- Biennial with stiff or bristly hairs.

Stem:-

a) 15-40 cm.

b) several, slender, ascending, covered in soft hairs.

c) moderately branched with short, ± divaricate branches.

d) often purplish.

Leaves:-

1) Rosette:

a) long-petiolate.

b) blade narrowly elliptical, crenate-serrate, sparsely pilose.

c) with stiff or course hairs (hirsute).

2) Cauline:

a) basal and middle, oblong-ovate.

b) upper, ovate-lance-shaped, serrate-dentate, stalkless.

Flowers:-

a) few, axillary or terminal.

1) Calyx teeth:

a) triangular, acuminate, up to half as long as corolla; appendages large, broadly

oblong to ovate, exceeding the ovary.

2) Corolla:

a) 20-30 mm.

b) tubular to narrowly campanulate.

c) lobes short, broadly ovate.

d) twice as long as the calyx.

e) violet-blue. velvety (velutinous).

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) splitting open to release the seeds (dehiscing) by basal pores or valves.

Key features:-

1) Corolla tubular.

2) Petioles of basal leaves not lobulate.

Habitat:- Rocks and gorges of middle and low altitudes.

Distribution:- Cretan endemic. Mainly in the west.

Flowering time:- April-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton