CAMPANULA SPATULATA subsp. FILICAULIS

Family:- CAMPANULACEAE/Sect. RANUNCULUS

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- Campanula sibthorpiana var. filicaulis, Campanula spatulata var.

filicaulis.

Meaning:- Campanula (L) Bell-like.

Spatulata (L) Spoon or spatula shaped.

Filicaulis (L) Having slender stems.

General description:- Thin-stemmed, short to medium, hairy perennial. Root

usually turnip-shaped (napiform). Stolons short.

Stems:-

a) 5-50 cm.

b) thread-like (filiform), wavy (flexuous).

c 1-flowered.

Leaves:-

a) margins toothed.

1) basal:

a) inversely lance-shaped, stalked (petiolate).

2) Cauline:

a) stalkless (sessile) or almost so, lance-shaped, narrowing gradually to a point.

b) middle cauline, ovate or elliptical, more or less petiolate.

Flowers:-

a)1- to 5-flowered.

1) Corolla:

a) 10 mm.

b) funnel-shaped (infundibuliform.

c) longer than the calyx-lobes.

d) purple.

2) Calyx-teeth:

a) 2-3 times as long as the ovary.

b) lance-shaped, tapering from the base to the apex, weakly keel-shaped.

c) with 2-4 small glandular teeth.

3) Ovary:

a) long narrowly obconical.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) obconical, grooved or furrowed (sulcate).

Key features:-

1) Stem usually ± branched.

2) Corolla (10-)20-30 mm campanulate or infundibuliform.

3) Root thick, napiform.

4) Short non-flowering stolons usually present.

5) Pedicels mostly more than 4 cm.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, rocky places and screes up to 1600m.

Distribution:- Endemic C. & E. Crete, where it is widespread and common.

Flowering time:- Mar-June.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton