Campanula thyrsoides
# Campanula thyrsoides

Campanula thyrsoides is a flowering plant belonging to the family Campanulaceae.

## Etymology

The species name “thyrsoides” derives from the Latin "thyrsus" (a staff of giant fennel covered with ivy vines and leaves and associated with Dionysus) and refers to the shape of the upright inflorescence of this plant, similar to a panicle with severals flowers on opposite pedicels.

## Subspecies

Subspecies include:

* Campanula thyrsoides thyrsoides
* Campanula thyrsoides carniolica

## Distribution and habitat

This species is widespread in the Alps, in the Jura mountains and in the Balkans (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, northern Italy, Serbia, Slovenia and France).

These plants occurs in limestone alpine lawns on the alpine or subalpine level, generally from 1500 to 2600 meters of altitude, but sometimes from 1000 meters.

## Description

Campanula thyrsoides reaches approximately 70–100 cm (28–39 in) in height. It is a herbaceous erect and perennial flowering plant with a showy dense inflorescence with up to 200 bell-shaped pale yellow flower.

The stem is densely leafed, the basal leaves are elongated lanceolate and the stem leaves are tongue-shaped.

The cycle of the plant is biennial (in the first year of life the plant completes its vegetative development, in the second it blooms and bears fruit), while the buds are placed at ground level. Flowering time generally lasts from July to August, but sometimes as early as June.

These plants are hermaphroditic. Pollination occurs through insects (entomogamous pollination) or it is autogamous. Each capsule fruit contains around 120 to 180 seeds. The dissemination of seeds is barochoric.

