| Campanula glomerata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Campanulaceae |
| Genus: | Campanula |
| Species: | C. glomerata |
| Binomial name | |
| Campanula glomerata L. |
|
Campanula glomerata, common name Clustered Bellflower or Dane's Blood, is a species of the genus Campanula, belonging to the family Campanulaceae. It is the county flower of Rutland, England.[1]
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The etymology of this plant is quite intuitive: the genus Latin name (“campanula”), meaning small bell, refers to the bell-shape of the flower, while the specific name ("glomerata") refers to the tight grouping of the flowers at the top of the stem.
Campanula glomerata is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to a height of 20–60 centimetres (7.9–24 in), with a maximum of 90 centimetres (35 in). The stem is simple, erect and shortly pubescent, basal leaves are petiolated, oval-lanceolate and lightly heart-shaped (cordate), while cauline leaves are lanceolate, sessile and amplexicaul. The inflorescence is formed by 15-20 sessile, actinomorphic and hermaphrodite single flowers of about 2 to 3 cm. They are in terminal racemes or in the axils of upper leaves, surrounded by an involucre of bracts. The corolla is campanulate and pubescent with five dark violet-blue or purplish-blue petals. Flowering period is from June to September.
The species is native to Europe, Anatolia and Siberia. In Europe is present almost everywhere. In North America the plant is naturalized.
This plant can be found in forests or dry grasslands, in scrub and open woodland, in grassy but not too wet places, in the edges of woods and along the margins of roads and trails. It prefers calcareous soils, at an altitude up to 1500 m above sea level.
Campanula glomerata has many cultivars of varying colours, such as 'Superba', 'Bellefleur', and 'Acaulis'. The following incomplete list presents some of the varieties with their synonyms.