Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0958.JPG-08-30-2018
Flower name (scientific): Campanulastrum americanum (Linnaeus) Small PY: 1903. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) kam-pan-yoo-LAST-rum (or kam-pan-yoo-LA-stroo-um) a-mer-ih-KAY-nah
Flower name (common): American Bellflower
Family name (common): Bellflower
Family name (scientific): Campanulaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From the Latin campanula meaning little bell and astrum meaning somewhat like.
    Specific epithet: Of or related to America.
Common name origin: From the native location and the shape of the flowers. The name is a misnomer, since the flowers are not really bell-shaped like a typical bellflower, but somewhat flattened or saucer-shaped.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.9 to 1.1 inches (2.3 to 2.8 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: blue, white is uncommon
     Other: flower arrangement, Spike
Plant description:
     Size: 36 to 72 inches (91 to 183 cm)
     Stem hairy: glabrous to hairy.
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple.
     Size: Leaves up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide.
     Color: medium to darker green.
     Hairy: upper and lower leaf surfaces sparsely pubescent.
     Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic to ovate (IL).
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): July to September
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual
Habitat: Woodlands, thickets, slightly disturbed areas, roadsides, shade or part shade, moist.
Fruit: Capsules up to 12 mm inn length and 4 mm in diameter,
Seed: Brown, oval in outline, about 1 mm in length.
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): When in bloom, no close lookalikes.
Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki used this plant to prepare a remedy for coughs and consumption. In the following reference Smith uses the old synonym name Campanula americana for this plant (Smith, p. 206, 1928).
Latitude: 44.799548
Longitude: -91.508812
Altitude: 222.50
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Buffalo, Calumet, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Winnebago) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, VA, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (ON) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: Campanula americana Linnaeus in Sp. Pl.: 164 (1753).
Homotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 2 homotypic synonyms for this species.
Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 14 heterotypic synonyms for this species.
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): FAC
Wetland Status (MW): FAC