Wahlenbergia hederacea

Wahlenbergia hederacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Campanulaceae
Genus: Wahlenbergia
Species: W. hederacea
Binomial name
Wahlenbergia hederacea

Wahlenbergia hederacea, also known as the ivy-leaved bellflower,[1] is a species of flowering plant that is found throughout Europe. The delicate, patch-forming, hairless perennial herb has thin, creeping stems about 20 cm in length. Its pale green leaves are long-stalked and have an ivy-shaped, rounded structure. These leaves can be described as having a cordate shape and are approximately 5–12 mm long and wide. The plant has erect, solitary, pale blue flowers in summer and autumn,[2] with bell-shaped corolla with 5 short lobes.[3] The flowers are 6–10 mm long x 5–8 mm wide[4] and sit on fine stalks 1–4 cm long. It is suggested that the long pedicels are an adaptation to assist in seed dispersal.[5]

Habitat

Wahlenbergia hederacea is found in cool, moist and boggy, partially-shaded areas,[3] typically with acidic soils, such as woodlands, streams, pastures, heaths and beside rivulets. The plant thrives in short-grassed areas beside streams, with moist, acidic soils, and is almost never found in basic soils and stagnant water.[6] They usually occur in small, scattered groups. The abundance of the ivy-leaved bellflower has been declining throughout the 1900s due to the loss of their habitat.[5]

Distribution

Wahlenbergia hederacea is native to Europe and commonly found in Southern England, and Wales,[7] but also in North West England, Western Scotland, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Western Germany, Spain, and Portugal.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ↑ Robinson, William (2009). Hardy Flowers. Applewood Books. p. 261. ISBN 9781429014434.
  3. 1 2 Everett, Thomas H. (1982). The New York Botanical Garden illustrated encyclopedia of horticulture. 10. New York Botanical Garden. New York: Taylor & Francis. p. 3521. ISBN 9780824072407.
  4. ↑ The Wild Flower Key, British Isles N.W. Europe, Francis Rose, WARNE, Published by the Penguin Group, 1991 reissue, ISBN 0-7232-2419-6
  5. 1 2 Eddie, William; Cupido, Christopher (March 2014). "Hesperocodon, a new generic name for Wahlenbergia hederacea (Campanulaceae): phylogeny and capsule dehiscence". Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 71 (1): 63–74.
  6. 1 2 Rix, Martyn (26 February 2004). "Plate 488. Wahlenbergia hederacea". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 21 (1): 61–64.
  7. ↑ "Wahlenbergia hederacea | Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora". www.brc.ac.uk.

Media related to Wahlenbergia hederacea at Wikimedia Commons

  • "British Wild Plant: Wahlenbergia hederacea Ivy-leaved Bellflower". ukwildflowers.com. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
  • Guy Colling (7 April 2011). "Red List of the Vascular Plants of Luxembourg" (PDF). ISSN 1682-5519. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
  • "Wahlenbergia hederacea | Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora". brc.ac.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
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