Rampion Bellflower - Campanula rapunculus

Scientific Name: Campanula rapunculus.

English Name: Rampion Bellflower.

French Name: Campanule raiponce.

5 Key Characters:

• basal leaves abruptly contract to a stalk.
• flower stalks with bracts (like fine little leaves) below the base of each.
• flowers are pale mauvey blue, tube shaped with petal like lobes.
• flowers in a long spindly spike.
• calyx (the green 'cup' the flower sits in) lobes threadlike.

Lookalikes: Harebell C. rotundifolia, which has more drooping flowers with shorter lobes, longer stems, spreading calyx lobes and tends to flower later.

Habitat: Fields, meadows, thickets, hedgerows, open woodland, track sides, waste ground, dry places with mineral rich soil or sand.

Flowering Period: May-June-July-August.

Status: Widespread and locally common and conspicuous.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature: