CAMPANULACEAE

BELLFLOWER FAMILY

Nancy Morin, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves generally cauline, generally simple, generally alternate, petioled or not; stipules 0
Inflorescence: panicle, raceme, spike, or flowers solitary in axils, generally open; bracts leaf-like or not
Flower: bisexual, radial or bilateral, sometimes inverted (pedicel twisted 180°; hypanthium generally present, ± fused to ovary; sepals generally 5; corolla radial to 2-lipped, generally fused (tube sometimes split down back), lobes generally 5; stamens 5, free or ± fused (anthers and filaments fused into tube or filaments fused above middle); ovary inferior, sometimes half inferior, chambers 1–3, placentas axile or parietal, ovules many, style generally 1, 2–5-branched
Fruit: generally capsule, dehiscing on sides or at tip by pores or short valves
Seeds many
Genera in family: ± 70 genera, ± 2000 species: worldwide. Some cultivated for ornamental (Campanula, Jasione, Lobelia ). Subfamilies sometimes treated as different families.

PORTERELLA

Species in genus: 1 sp
Etymology: (Thomas C. Porter, botanist, 1822–1901)

Native

P. carnosula (Hook. & Arn.) Torr.

Annual 2–30 cm, emergent or terrestrial, glabrous
Stem erect, branched from base or not
Leaves cauline, sessile; blade (5)12–15 mm, (1)3–5 mm wide, narrowly ovate (aerial) to narrowly triangular (submersed), entire, sometimes few-toothed
Inflorescence: raceme; bract 1 per flower, leaf-like, ascending; pedicels in fruit 1–3 cm
Flower inverted, fragrant; hypanthium 1–2.5 mm; sepals = or > fruit, narrowly triangular; corolla tube 4–5 mm, linear, blue, throat with 2 folds, yellow, limb 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed, lobes 1–2 mm, narrowly triangular, erect, deep blue, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes 3–8 mm, ± round, spreading, blue, base yellow or white; stamens fused, anthers ± 2 mm, 2 short anthers appendaged, horn-like appendage ± 0.5 mm, comb-like appendage 4-pronged; ovary 2-chambered, stigma cup- or plate-like, papillate
Fruit 5–10 mm, hemispheric to cylindric; tip conic, dehiscing by valves
Seed 1 mm, smooth, fine striate
Chromosomes: n=12
Ecology: Moist, grassy roadsides, lake and pond edges
Elevation: 1500–3100 m.
Bioregional distribution: High Cascade Range, n High Sierra Nevada, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Wyoming, Arizona
Flowering time: Jun–Aug
Horticultural information: TRY.