186 



several Campanulas the cells of the ovarium are equal in number to the 

 stamens and the divisions of the corolla: and calyk, which points out the 

 natural symmetry h? the flower. In the Lobelias abortion is more frequent. 

 In both groups the innermost organs are ^.bortive more frequently than the 

 outermost. Thus, the number of cells is often smaller (never greater) than 

 that of the stamens ; the number of stamens is sometimes smaller (but hever 

 larger) than that of the lobes of the corolla; and the' same is true t)f the 

 lobes of the corolla with respect to the calyx. I^nally, Lobeliacese have 

 sometimes a corolla of a fine bright red, a colour unknown among Cam- 

 panulas ; nine-tenths of the species of- the latter have blue flowers ; and 

 those in which the colour varies, and into which a little red enters (as Cana- 

 rina), are far from having the brilliancy of Lobelia cardinalis for instance. 

 After Lobeliaceae, the natural groups with which Campanulftceae have the 

 most relation are, no doubt, Goodenoviae and Stylidieas, which formed part 

 of the Campanulaceae of M. de Jussieu. The regular corolla of Campanu- 

 lacese distinguishes them, at first sight, from both those groups, as well as 

 from Lobeliacese. Besides, Campanulas have not the fringed indusium 

 which terminates the style of Goodenoviae, and surrounds their stigma. 

 Although this organisation approaches that of Lobeliaceae, and so Campanu- 

 laceae, it is not less true that it affords an important mark of distinction, and 

 that it is connected with essential differences in the mode of fecundation. 

 Mr. Brown has also remarked, that the corolla of Goodenoviae is sometimes 

 polypetalous, which it never is in Campanulaceae or Lobeliaceae ; that the 

 aestivation of their corolla is induplicate, not valvate ; that its principal veins 

 are lateral, or alternate with the lobes, as in Compositae ; that in the species 

 of Goodenoviae with dehiscent fruit, the dehiscence is usually septicidal, 

 while in the two othpr groups it is always loculicidal ; finally, that Goode- 

 noviae have not the milky juice that characterises Campanulaceae and Lobeli- 

 aceae." Notwithstanding their polyspermous fruit and different inflorescence, 

 these approach very closely to Compositae ; their milky juice is the same as 

 that of Cichoraceae ; their species have, in many cases, the flowers crowded 

 'in heads ; their stigma is similar to that of many Compositae ; they have 

 the same collecting hairs on the style, in both cases intended to clear out the 

 pollen from the cells of the anthers; and, finally, their habit is very like. 



Geography. Chiefly natives of the north of Asia, Europe, and North 

 America, and scarcely known in the hot regions of the world. In the mea- 

 dows, fields, and forests of the countries they inhabit, they constitute the 

 most striking ornament. Some curious species are found in the Canaries, 

 St. Helena, and Juan Fernandez. M. Alphonse Decandolle remarks, that 

 '* it is within the 36° and 47° N. lat. that in our hemisphere the greatest 

 number of species is found; the chain of the Alps, Italy, Greece, Caucasus, 

 the Altai range, are their true country. In whatever direction we leave 

 these limits, the number of species rapidly decreases. In the southern 

 hemisphere, the Cape of Good Hope (lat. 34° S.) is another centre of habita- 

 tion, containing not fewer than 63 species. This locality has a climate so 

 different from that of our mountains, that it may be easily imagined that 

 the species capable of living there differ materially from those of our own 

 hemisphere : in fact, they belong to other genera." Of 300 species, only 

 19 are found within the tropics. • , 



Properties. The milky juice is rather acrid, but nevertheless the 

 roots and voung shoots of some, particularly of Campanula Rapunculus, or 

 Rampion, of Phyteuma spicata, of Canarina Campanula, &c., are an occa- 

 sional article of food. The chief value of the order, however, is its beauty. 



ExajMples. Campanula, Wahlcnbergia. 



