Campanulaceae : Bluebell Family

Taxonomy  |   Illustrated Key  |   Dichotomous Key  |   Genera  |   Family Traits

Taxonomy

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Divisions:

Class: Dicotyledonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Campanulaceae

Genera: 1

Species: 3

Campanula aurita (Yukon Bellflower)

Campanula lasiocarpa (Alpine Bellflower)

Campanula uniflora (Arctic Bellflower)

English Name(s):

Harebell, Bluebell, Bellflower

Gwich'in Name:


Family Traits

Description:

  • Mostly herbs, often with milky juice.
  • Leaves simple, alternate.
  • Flowers perfect (bisexual), regular in symetry, usually blue or white.
  • Sepals usually 5 rarely 3,4 or 10.
  • Petals 5, rarely 4, united.
  • Stamens (male parts) 5
  • Ovary is positioned inferior or partly so and consists of 2,3 or 5 united carpels (chambers).
  • Fruit is a capsule or rarely a berry, with numerous seeds.

Natural History:

  • Many plants in this family contain inulin polysacchrides and syanogenic glycosides.

Family Size:

World:

Genera: 70

Species: 2000

North America:

Genera: 12

Species: 45+

Yukon:

Genera: 1

Species: 4

Illustrated Key To Family

Note: Move cursor over image for note on what to look for. Click on image to enlarge.

Campanula aurita (Yukon Bellflower)

Campanula lasiocarpa (Alpine Bellflower)

Campanula uniflora (Arctic Bellflower)


Dicotomous Key To Family


Genera

Campanula (Bellflowers)

  • Plants herbaceuous (not woody), with milky juice.
  • Perennial.
  • Leaves simple (one blade), alternate.
  • Flowers showy, regular in symetry
  • Petals united, corolla 5-lobed, blue or rarely white.
  • Sepals 5, lobes linear to oblong.
  • Ovary inferior (flower parts attached above). 3(5)-cavitied, stigma 3(5)-lobed.
  • Stamens (male parts) 5, alternating with corolla (petal) lobes.
  • Fruit a many seeded capsule opening by pores or slits.

World= 300

N.A.= 29

Yukon= 4

Central Yukon= 3

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