BELLFLOWER FAMILY 



PLATYCODON. JAPANESE BELLFLOWER 



Platycodon grandifldrum. 



Plalycodon, Greek, plaiys, broad, and kodon, bell; referring to the 



shape of the flower. 

 A branching, shrub-like perennial bearing several large, open, bell-like 

 flowers from the summit of the stem and branches. Native to northern 

 Asia and Japan. July. 



Platycodon. Platycbdon grandiflbrum. 



Stem. — Bushy, weak, one to three feet high. 



Leaves. — Lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, unequally toothed. 



Flowers. — Blue or white, large open bells, inflated in the bud. 



Calyx. — Bell-like, five-toothed. 



Corolla. — Open bell, violet-blue, pencilled with lines of darker blue, 

 five-lobed; lobes broad, pointed, valvate in bud. 



Stamens. — Five; filaments short, dilated at base; anthers long, mature 

 before the stigmas are receptive. 



Ovary. — Globose; five-celled; style one; stigmas five. 



Capsule. — Five-celled ; many-seeded. 



The genus Platycodon is closely related to Campanula and con- 

 tains only the single species grandiflorum, but, though recently 



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