| Phyteuma orbiculare | |
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| Plant of Phyteuma orbiculare | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Campanulaceae |
| Genus: | Phyteuma |
| Species: | P. orbiculare |
| Binomial name | |
| Phyteuma orbiculare L., 1753 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Phyteuma orbiculare, common name Round-headed Rampion, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the genus Phyteuma belonging to the family Campanulaceae.
Contents |
Phyteuma orbiculare reaches on average 20–50 centimetres (7.9–20 in) of height. The stem is erect, simple, glabrous and striated, the leaves vary in shape on a single plant, with larger, broader, ovate to lanceolate, serrated, petiolated leaves at the base of the stem and smaller, narrower, lanceolate to linear cauline leaves. The head-shaped inflorescence is a dense erect panicle of about 1.5–3 centimetres (0.59–1.2 in) of diameter, with usually 15 to 30 flowers. The petals are blue or violet-blue and form small tubes with an opening at the top. The outer bracts are lanceolate and usually two to four times longer than wide. The flowering period extends from May to August. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous small seeds.
This plant is widespread in most of Europe from the Pyrenees to the Balkans.
This species grows mainly in grasslands, meadows, pasturelands and pine forests. It prefers full sun exposure on calcareous soils, at an altitude of 600–2,400 metres (2,000–7,900 ft) above sea level.