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69.) CAMPANULACEAE - Bellflower family

CAMPANULACEAE - Bellflower family

CAMPANULA L.

  • Campanula patula L. (ssp. patula) (Spreading Bellflower) Woodland Very Rare Always very rare in our area but now only known to be present from grassy clearings at East Harptree Combe, North Somerset where it was first discovered in around 1829 by J. Rutter. It requires regular disturbance for seed to germinate. Historically it used to also occur in a "Wood on the Downend side of Glen Frome; Swete, Fl. Oldbury Court Woods; G.H.K. Thwaites. Stapleton; Herb. Stephens. These records probably refer to the same locality. Mr. T. B. Flower told me that Dr. Thwaites and he used to gather the plant in Glen Frome. There is of course a possibility that it still exists, but I have not met with it, nor have I information more recent than that given." (White, 1912). Also found in two spots about a mile apart (two plants in one and four in another) on a hillside at Horton, not far from Yate in 1914 by H.W.L. Harford; "there in 1944, Mrs Harford" (Riddelsdell, 1948); and "In fair quantity on Lyncombe Hill, Sandford, S., 1914; Dr. J. Wigglesworth." [Journal of Botany, 1918, p. 45].

  • Campanula persicifolia L. (ssp. persicifolia) (Peach-leaved Bellflower) / General Very Rare A very rare escape from cultivation, usually found close to habitation. Recently recorded from a clearing at Cleaves Wood, near Hinton Charterhouse in 2000 by Cam Valley Wildlife Group; at Leigh Woods in 2010 by J.P. Martin; two plants near the entrance of a churchyard at Chelwood, North Somerset in 2019 by ? [BSBI record]; a white-flowered plant was found on a steep grassy bank on Trafalgar Road, Weston, Bath in 2022 by R.D. Randall who comments "by a strange coincidence there used to be a white-flowered colony on basement stonework in Sydney Place" [BRLSI]; a single plant was found self-seeded on a pavement on Coldharbour Road, Redland, Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters; another was found on a hedgebank on Cleeve Hill Road, Cleeve, North Somerset in 2023 by D. Peters and R.D. Randall; and another was found on the outside of a garden wall on Farrington Road, Paulton in 2025 by ? [BSBI record]. First recorded in our region "On a bank close to a cultivated field adjoining the coppice wood at Hutton; St. Brody, Fl. Weston...Reported too from a wood-border by Lansdown, Bath." (White, 1912).

[Rob's white form BRLSI. Perhaps don't need to include all records.]

  • Campanula medium L. (Canterbury-bells) General Extinct Discovered as a garden throw-out from North Road into Nightingale Valley in 1978 by E.J. Clement [BSBI record]; and found at Yate (Westerleigh) Common in 1984 by P. House and R.D. White.

  • Campanula alliariifolia Willd. (ssp. alliariifolia) (Cornish Bellflower) General Very Rare Found on a high wall next to the track of a disused railway station at Midsomer Norton in 1999 by Cam Valley Wildlife Group and still present when seen there the following year by A. Wood.

  • Campanula glomerata L. (ssp. glomerata) (Clustered Bellflower) - Grassland Scarce Localised in species-rich calcareous grassland and dry hilly pastures to the east of the region and also present on the Mendips along the edge of the region near Shipham. White-flowered plants were noted at Wyck Rocks by H.O. Stephens (White, 1912). It appears to have declined.

  • Campanula pyramidalis L. (Chimney Bellflower) General Extinct Was found established on a 200-year-old wall at Bromley Heath, South Gloucestershire in 1995 by M.J. Trotman and confirmed by E.J. Clement.

  • Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. (Adria Bellflower) / General Frequent A native of Jugoslavia and a popular garden plant of rockeries during the mid 20th Century. This species has become thoroughly naturalised and is now an abundant sight on walls and masonry of all shapes and sizes and quickly colonises new ones but seems to particularly favour those made of brick. It has significantly expanded its range since 2000 but remains strongly characteristic of Bristol. Only first recorded in our region at Weston-super-Mare in 1985 by Capt. R.G.B. Roe but it has no doubt been established before that date. [R.J. Higgins says it was well established when he first came to Bristol in 1981.]

[Surely there are earlier records? Rupert says both were well established when he first came to Bristol in 1981.]

Not quite as frequent as Trailing Bellflower and more often found on Brick Walls.

  • Campanula poscharskyana Degen (Trailing Bellflower) / General Frequent Abundant as for Adria Bellflower but seems to be slightly more frequent and tends to prefer stone masonry (possibly simply an artifact of Adria Bellflower's more compact habit, protecting it more from puling and harsher exposure of brick surfaces than Trailing Bellflower's lusher and more straggly growth). First recorded in our region at Batheaston in 1990 by R.D. Randall but it has no doubt been established prior to that date [R.J. Higgins says it was well established when he first came to Bristol in 1981].

the late date is probably more likely due to recorder's less willing desire to record from garden walls.

Pink-flowered plants were found on Hughenden Road, Bishopston; Coldharbour Road, Redland, and along a cut-through off Pinewood Close, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol in 2026 by D. Peters.

[Surely there are earlier records?]

  • Campanula latifolia L. (ssp. latifolia) (Giant Bellflower) Woodland Very Rare A species of damp ancient wooded river valleys. Always rare and illusive in our region. Recently recorded on a steep bank beside the River Boyd at Fifteen Acre Farm, Upton Cheyney in 2016 by C. & M.A.R. Kitchen where it was first noted by them in 1993; and a single plant was found in a ditch at Leigh Woods in 2017 by ? Apparently known here by C.M. Lovatt over 10 years. [BSBI records]. Recorded from several other sites prior to 2000 but not seen in recent years. Historically it used to hold a stronghold at Glen Frome where it was first recorded in the area in 1828 by S. Rootsey.

8 records, 5 locations 22/07/1925 ST610756 Glen Frome, Stapleton Sandwith I Cecil 9526 26/07/1984 ST8086 Hawkesbury, Ragged Castle Rooney G Peter 42 JULY 1985 ST753786 Doddington Ash, Southfield clump Peacock Miss M. S. - 891 04/07/1993 ST692714 Golden Valley, Right Of Bridge Chaffey Dr Nigel 4424 04/07/1993 ST69237163 Fifteen Acre Farm, comments may contain more location details, place may refer to name of 1km ref. Kitchen or Kitchen and others - Mark and or Clare 9922

  • Campanula trachelium L. (ssp. trachelium) (Nettle-leaved Bellflower) / Woodland Scarce Widely scattered over the region in open woodland and hedgebanks on calcareous soils. It's never usually plentiful wherever found. Also sometimes occurring as a garden escape. Typically blue but rarely white.

  • Campanula rapunculoides L. (ssp. rapunculoides) (Creeping Bellflower) General Very Rare A very rare introduction. First recorded from the "Bank of Avon near St. Anne's Wood; J. Foster in Swete, Fl. p. 100. Hedge at Sand by Kewstoke, 1879; T.F. Perkins" (White, 1912) and Glen Frome, Thwaites in Hb. Grindon (Riddelsdell, 1948); found as a casual on Durdham Down in 1932 by I.W. Evans; at Ashton Gate in 1940 by ? [BMAG]; discovered in the Keynsham area in 1974 by C.W. Hurtford and established on the embankment of the A4175, west of the River Avon where it was first found in 1980 by R.M. Payne; recorded here recently in 2011 by P. Hilton and again in 2018 by Bitton martin8 [CNC record]; white-flowered form found as a garden throw-out from North Road into Nightingale Valley, Leigh Woods in 1981 by ? [BSBI record]; Henbury Golf Course in 1986 and at Avonmouth in 1992 by F. Cooper [are these reliable? They aren't included in FOTBR]; Nightingale Valley, St Anne's wood, Brislington in 2008 by J. Dowell.

  • Campanula cochleariifolia Lam. (Fairy's-thimble - Stace, NBN, Fairies Thimbles - old flora, Earleaf Bellflower - Wikipedia, Dwarf Bellflower - Gardenia) 1980 General Extinct Recorded at ST66 in 1980 by ? [BSBI record].

  • Campanula rotundifolia L. (Harebell) / Grassland Scarce Widely distributed but now rather localised in open species-rich grassland on shallow soils, dry pastures, rock faces and outcrops. It is more frequent in calcareous than acidic districts in our area and has noticeably declined since 2000; perhaps due to loss of its required open habitat from scrub encroachment, increased footfall in popular hotspots and loss of our species-rich pastures through nitrification and development. White-flowered plants occasionally occur but are rare.

  • ssp. rotundifolia Grassland Scarce The nominate plant with narrow acute stem-leaves. With the same range and distribution as the species.

  • ssp. montana (Harebell) - 1 record Grassland Very Rare With broader subacute to obtuse stem-leaves, fewer but larger flowers (greater than as oppose to less than 20 mm) and squat broadly obconical capsules (narrower in ssp. rotundifolia). This was recorded abundantly on the Bridge Valley Butress, on the lower cliffs north of the Suspension Bridge, and on the cliffs by the rock slide below Observatory Hill, Avon Gorge in 2018 by ?. It seems likely that this subspecies may be present elsewhere in our region.

LEGOUSIA Durande

  • Legousia hybrida (L.) Delarbre (Venus's-looking-glass) General Rare Sporadically distributed and confined to arable fields in the east of the region, mainly between Marshfield and Hawkesbury Upton. Also found as an adventive at Avonmouth Docks in 1961 by N.Y. Sandwith [BMAG] and historically has been recorded from more sites to the west of the region.

  • Legousia speculum-veneris (L.) Chaix (Large Venus's-looking-glass) - Sandwith (1932) General Extinct "Alien from Continental cornfields. Introduced on wasteground with mill-refuse or grain-siftings. Often cultivated in gardens. St. Philip's Marsh, abundant on tipped rubbish, 1904 to 1907. Watercress Farm, Baptist Mills, 1911; I. W. Evans. Portishead Station-yard, several plants in 1907; two in 1909" (White, 1912); and on a tip at Bristol in 1935 by C.I. & N.Y. Sandwith [B.E.C., 1935, p. 33] (Riddelsdell, 1948).

JASIONE L.

  • Jasione montana L. (ssp. montana) (Sheep's-bit) 1918 Grassland Extinct "The late Mrs. Lainson, an enthusiastic botanist, published some local plant lists in the Clevedon Mercury (April 29 and Dec. 21, 1876) under the pseudonym of 'Lily Grey.' Among many uncommon species that are known to us she mentioned Jasione montana. I made this lady's acquaintance in later years, but unluckily her Clevedon lists did not come into my hands until after her death. Mrs. Lainson's collection is in the possession of Bristol University, but no local specimens of this plant can be found in it. Nor have I met with any other mention of it as a Clevedon or Bristol species [It is mentioned by H.O. Stephens (1835) from Durdham Down but this was almost certainly a mistake for Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis]. Jasione is common in West Somerset, and there would be nothing surprising in its occurrence in the northern division of the county." (White, 1912). White later wrote in his supplement to the Flora of Bristol (1918) "The square brackets should be removed; Mrs. Lainson's record was confirmed in 1912 by Mr. D. Williams, who then wrote that he had gathered Jasione at Clevedon in 1908 and enclosed a specimen. Miss Livett tells me that the locality described by Williams is now in great part built upon".

"Was reported from Clevedon by the late Mrs. Lainson, but in the absence of confirmation was unnumbered in the flora [White, 1912]. Mr. D. Williams now writes that he gathered Jasione at Clevedon in 1908, and forwards a specimen. Miss Livett finds that the described locality has since been largely built upon, and doubts if the plant could have escaped destruction" (I.M. Roper in Bristol Field Botany in 1912, p. 84).

LOBELIA L.

  • Lobelia erinus L. (Garden Lobelia) / General Frequently grown as a bedding plant and often mass planted in hanging baskets and public planting displays outside pubs and around towns and village high streets. Usually blue but white and pink-flowered plants also sometimes occur. First recorded growing in dock walls at Canons Marsh, Bristol in 1984 by A.L. Grenfell.

List:

  • Campanula patula L. (ssp. patula - Kew, GBIF) (Spreading Bellflower) Woodland
  • Campanula persicifolia L. (ssp. persicifolia - Kew, GBIF) (Peach-leaved Bellflower) / General
  • Campanula medium L. (Canterbury-bells) General
  • Campanula alliariifolia Willd. (ssp. alliariifolia - Kew, GBIF) (Cornish Bellflower) General
  • Campanula glomerata L. (ssp. glomerata - Kew, GBIF) (Clustered Bellflower) - Grassland
  • Campanula pyramidalis L. (Chimney Bellflower) General
  • Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. (Adria Bellflower) / General
  • Campanula poscharskyana Degen (Trailing Bellflower) / General
  • Campanula latifolia L. (ssp. latifolia - Kew, GBIF) (Giant Bellflower) Woodland
  • Campanula trachelium L. (ssp. trachelium - Kew, GBIF) (Nettle-leaved Bellflower) / Woodland
  • Campanula rapunculoides L. (ssp. rapunculoides - Kew, GBIF) (Creeping Bellflower) General
  • Campanula cochleariifolia Lam. (Fairy's-thimble - Stace, NBN, Fairies Thimbles - old flora, Earleaf Bellflower - Wikipedia, Dwarf Bellflower - Gardenia) 1980 General
  • Campanula rotundifolia L. (ssp. rotundifolia - Stace, NBN) (Harebell) / Grassland
  • Campanula rotundifolia L. ssp. montana (Harebell) - 1 record Grassland
  • Legousia hybrida (L.) Delarbre (Venus's-looking-glass) General
  • Legousia speculum-veneris (L.) Chaix (Large Venus's-looking-glass) - Sandwith (1932) General
  • Jasione montana L. (ssp. montana - Kew, GBIF) (Sheep's-bit) 1918 Grassland
  • Lobelia erinus L. (Garden Lobelia) / General

Species to add:

  • Campanula alliariifolia Willd. (ssp. alliariifolia - Kew, GBIF) (Cornish Bellflower) /
  • Campanula rotundifolia L. ssp. montana (Harebell) - 1 record /
  • Legousia speculum-veneris (L.) Chaix (Large Venus's-looking-glass) - Sandwith (1932) /

Campanula latifolia found by R.D. Randall BRLSI

Jasione montana (Sheep's-bit) Is mentioned by H.O. Stephens (1835) to occur on Durdham Down but this was almost certainly a mistake for Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis).