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.

HETEROCODON

Species in genus: 1 sp
Etymology: (Greek: different bell, from cleistogamous and opening flowers)

Native

H. rariflorum Nutt.

Annual; roots fibrous
Stem erect, 5–30 cm, simple or branched from base, 4-angled, very thin, sparsely hairy
Leaves cauline, 2–10 mm, round-cordate, thin, serrate, sessile
Inflorescence: flowers solitary in axils of leaf-like bracts, sessile
Flowers: lower cleistogamous; sepals 2–4 mm, widely triangular, leaf-like, toothed; corolla 3–5 mm, cylindric, tube white to pale blue, lobes ± 1.5 mm, triangular, erect, deep blue; stamens ± 1.5 mm, filaments linear; ovary inferior, 2–3 mm, short-oblong, papery, generally with many long, stiff hairs, style 3 mm, upper 25% papillate
Fruit dehiscing by lateral pores near base
Seed 0.5 mm, elliptic
Ecology: Vernally wet places
Elevation: < 2300 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Nevada