Harebell  (Campanula rotundifolia)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The harebell, often known as 'bluebell' in Scotland, is a delicate, beautiful wildflower (4). It is a member of the bluebell family; the name of the genus Campanula derives from the Latin for 'bell', and refers to the shape of the flowers (4). The blue, or rarely white, nodding flowers are papery thin (5), and occur either solitarily or in loose spikes (6). The stems are creeping at the base, with round leaves, hence the specific name rotundifolia, which means 'round-leaved' (4); in contrast, the leaves on the erect part of the stem are long and narrow (2).

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