The family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Campanulaceae (also bellflower family), of the order

Order (biology)

In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 Asterales

Asterales

Asterales is an order of dicotyledonous flowering plants that includes the composite family and its related families.The order is a cosmopolite, and includes mostly herbaceous species, although a small number of trees and shrubs are also present.The Asterales can be characterized on the...

, contains about 2000 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 in 70 genera

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of herbaceous

Herbaceous plant

A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...

 plants

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

, shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

s, and rarely small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

s, often with milky non-toxic sap

Sap

Sap may refer to:* Plant sap, the fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant* Sap , a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia...

. Among them are the familiar garden plants Campanula

Campanula

Campanula is one of several genera in the family Campanulaceae with the common name bellflower. It takes its name from their bell-shaped flowers—campanula is Latin for "little bell"....

(bellflower), Lobelia

Lobelia

Lobelia is a genus of flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions...

, and Platycodon (balloonflower).

This family is almost cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan distribution

In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...

 but concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...

. However in the Southern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 is remarkably rich in members of this family. These species are absent in the Sahara

Sahara

The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...

, Antarctica and northern Greenland

Greenland

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...

.

Most current classifications include the segregate family Lobeliaceae in Campanulaceae as subfamily Lobelioideae.

Description

Leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 are often alternate, more rarely opposite. They are also simple and without stipule

Stipule

In botany, stipule is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk...

s.

Flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s are bisexual, bell-shaped, consisting of a narrow tube-like corolla with small spreading lobes

Lobe (anatomy)

In anatomy, a lobe is a clear anatomical division or extension that can be determined without the use of a microscope This is in contrast to a lobule, which is a clear division only visible histologically....

. Many are blue.

Fruits are berries

Berry

The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....

 or capsule

Capsule (fruit)

In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...

s.

Subfamilies and genera

Campanuloideae

Adenophora Adenophora Adenophora ' is a genus of flowering plant within the family Campanulaceae. Its prevalent common name is ladybells... Astrocodon Asyneuma Azorina Azorina Azorina is a plant genus within the family Campanulaceae. The sole species, Azorina vidalli, which is native to the Azores, was formerly known as Campanula vidalii.-References:*... Berenice Campanula Campanula Campanula is one of several genera in the family Campanulaceae with the common name bellflower. It takes its name from their bell-shaped flowers—campanula is Latin for "little bell".... Bellflower Canarina Canarina Canarina is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae. The best known species is C. canariensis from the laurel forests of the Canary Islands which is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant... Codonopsis Codonopsis Codonopsis is a genus of flowering plant within the family Campanulaceae. It is allied to Campanumoea and Leptocodon, and some authors suggest that Codonopsis should include these genera... Craterocapsa Cryptocodon Cyananthus Cyananthus Cyananthus is a genus that consists of about 30 species of annual or mostly perennial herbs from high mountains of Central and East Asia. They are little Himalayan plants not higher than 4in. The name comes from the Greek for blue flowers. Leaves are usually small and simple, sometimes narrowing to... Cylindrocarpa Echinocodon Edraianthus Edraianthus Edraianthus is a small genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. Edraianthus species are native to the mountains of the Balkan, including Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia, and as far as Romania, Italy and Greece.They are small perennial mountain plants, with tufts of grassy... Feeria Gadellia Githopsis 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 California... Bluecup Gunillaea Hanabusaya Heterochaenia Heterochaenia Heterochaenia is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceaewhich are native to Réunion.Species include:*Heterochaenia borbonica Badre & Cadet*Heterochaenia ensifolia A.DC.*Heterochaenia rivalsii Badre & Cadet... Heterocodon 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 America from British Columbia to California to Colorado, where... Homocodon Jasione Jasione Jasione is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae which are native to Europe.Species include:* Jasione amethystina* Jasione bulgarica* Jasione crispa* Jasione echinata* Jasione foliosa... Legousia Legousia Legousia is genus a flowering plants in the Campanulaceae family.-Species:Legousia species include:* Legousia falcata * Legousia hybrida * Legousia julianii... Venus' Looking-glass Leptocodon Lightfootia

Merciera Michauxia Microcodon Musschia Namacodon Namacodon Namacodon is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Namacodon schinzianum, Thulin... Nesocodon Nesocodon Nesocodon is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae. The sole species is Nesocodon mauritianus, formerly known as Wahlenbergia mauritiana, which is endemic to the island of Mauritius. It produces red-colored nectar, which is very uncommon in flowering plants, and is pollinated... Numaeacampa Ostrowskia Peracarpa Petromarula Physoplexis Phyteuma Phyteuma Phyteuma is a genus of about 40-45 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, native to Europe and western Asia. The common name is Rampion. Rampion features prominently in some versions of the fairy tale Rapunzel... Platycodon Balloonflower Popoviocodonia Prismatocarpus Rhigiophyllum Roella Rollandia Rollandia Rollandia can be used to mean the following:* Rollandia , a genus of birds in the grebe family.* Rollandia angustifolia the old name for Cyanea koolauensis... Sergia Siphocodon Symphyandra Symphyandra Symphyandra is a genus of 10-12 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, mainly native to the eastern part of the Mediterranean region in Asia Minor, the Balkans, and Crete, but with one species in eastern Asia in Korea... Theilera Trachelium Treichelia Triodanis Triodanis Triodanis is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae.Species include:*Triodanis biflora - Small Venus' Looking-glass*Triodanis coloradoensis - Colorado Venus' Looking-glass... Wahlenbergia Wahlenbergia Wahlenbergia is a genus of between 150-270 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution except for North America; the highest species diversity is in Africa and Australasia... Zeugandra

Lobelioideae

Apetahia Brighamia Burmeistera Burmeistera Burmeistera is a plant genus in the family Campanulaceae.-Selected species:* Burmeistera anderssonii* Burmeistera asplundii* Burmeistera brachyandra* Burmeistera crispiloba* Burmeistera cuyujensis* Burmeistera cyclostigma... Centropogon Centropogon Centropogon is a plant genus in the family Campanulaceae. In systems where the Lobeliaceae are recognized as distinct, Centropogon is placed there.... Clermontia Cyanea Cyanea (plant) Cyanea is a genus of lobelioid plants endemic to Hawaii. It contains more than 50 species, ranging in size from shrubs like C. eleeleensis to tall palm-like trees over 10 meters tall such as C. leptostegia... Delissea Dialypetalum Diastatea Dielsantha Downingia Downingia Downingia is a genus of 13 annual plants native to western North America and Chile. Commonly known as "calicoflowers", they are notable for forming mass displays of small but colorful blooms around vernal pools... Calicoflower Grammatotheca Heterotoma Hippobroma Hippobroma Hippobroma is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae.Species include:* Hippobroma longiflora-External links and references:*... Howellia Hypsela Isotoma Laurentia = Isotoma, Solenopsis, Hippobroma Hippobroma Hippobroma is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae.Species include:* Hippobroma longiflora-External links and references:*...

Legenere Legenere limosa Legenere limosa is an annual wildflower of the bellflower family endemic to limited portions of Northern California. This species is the sole member of the genus Legenere. The species common name is False Venus' looking glass.... False Venus' Looking-glass Lobelia Lobelia Lobelia is a genus of flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions... Lysipomia Lysipomia Lysipomia is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Lysipomia acaulis, Kunth* Lysipomia aretioides, Kunth* Lysipomia bilineata, McVaugh... Monopsis Palmerella Porterella 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... Pratia Pratia Pratia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, native to Asia, Australia and New Zealand.Species include:*Pratia angulata Hook... Ruthiella Sclerotheca Siphocampylus Siphocampylus Siphocampylus is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Siphocampylus affinis, McVaugh* Siphocampylus asplundii, Jeppesen* Siphocampylus ecuadoriensis, E.Wimm.... Solenopsis Trematocarpus Trematolobelia False Lobelia Trimeris Trimeris Trimeris is a genus of the plant family Campanulaceae endemic to the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.SpeciesThere is a single species*Trimeris scaevolifolia Mabb. - St Helena lobelia, milkwood-External links :*... Unigenes

Cyphioideae

Cyphia Cyphocarpus Nemacladus Nemacladus Nemacladus is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family known generally as threadplants. There are approximately 13 species native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico... — Threadplant

Parishella Pseudonemacladus

Literature

• Lammers, T.G. (2007) World Checklist and Bibliography of Campanulaceae. Kew Publishing, Richmond, Surrey.
• Fedorov, A., & Kovanda, M. (1976) Campanulaceae. In Flora Europaea (T.G. Tutin, V.H. Heywood, N.A. Burges, D.M. Moore, D.H. Valentine, S.M. Walters, & D.A. Webb, Eds.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 74-93.
• Borsch, T., Korotkova, N., Raus, T., Lobin, W., and Loehne, C. (2009) The petD group II intron as a genus and species level marker: Utility for tree inference and species identification in the diverse genus Campanula (Campanulaceae). In: Willdenowia, 39, 7-33. pdf online
• C. Roquet, L. Sáez, J. J. Aldasoro, S. Alfonso, M. L. Alarcón and N. Garcia-Jacas (2008) Natural delineation, molecular phylogeny and floral evolution in Campanula. Systematic Botany, 33, 203-217.
• M. E. Cosner, L. A. Raubeson, R. K. Jansen: „Chloroplast DNA rearrangements in Campanulaceae: phylogenetic utility of highly rearranged genomes“ In: BMC Evolutionary Biology 4(27)/2007, S. 1-17, online
• W. M. M. Eddie, T. Shulkina, J. Gaskin, R. C. Haberle & R. K. Jansen: Phylogeny of Campanulaceae s. str. inferred from ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA In: Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 90(4)/2003. S. 554–575

External links

• Topwalks
• L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval.
• Germplasm Resources Information Network
• Flowers in Israel
• Angiosperm Phylogeny Website