Wahlenbergia

Location & distribution maps

Common name:         . . .

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

Flowers:

Fruit:                            

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Distribution:                  

Additional notes:     

• ahlenbergia is a genus of around 260 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. Plants in this genus are perennial or annual herbs with simple leaves and blue to purple bell-shaped flowers, usually with five petals lobes. Species of Wahlenbergia are native to environments on all continents except North America, and on some isolated islands, but the greatest diversity occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.

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• Description

• Plants in the genus Wahlenbergia are annual or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs, and sometimes have rhizomes. The stems are erect, circular in cross section and have simple leaves. The leaves decrease in size up the stem and usually have small scattered teeth on their edges. The flowers are borne on the end of the stems, either singly or arranged in a cyme. There are five sepals that remain until the fruiting stage. The petals are blue to purple and are joined at their base to form a bell-shaped or funnel-shaped tube with five lobes. There are usually five stamens, the style is often branched at the tip and the fruit is a capsule containing up to fifty seeds.[2][3][4]

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• Taxonomy and naming

• In 1814, Heinrich Schrader used the name Wahlenbergia elongata but the name was a nomen nudum. The genus was first formally described in 1821 by Albrecht Wilhelm Roth and the description was published in Roth's book Novae Plantarum Species praesertim Indiae Orientalis. Roth retained Schrader's name Wahlenbergia.[1][5][6] The name honours Göran Wahlenberg (a Swedish botanist who taught at Uppsala University).[7]

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• Distribution

• The genus is widespread and species of Wahlenbergia are native to all continents except North America. The highest species diversity is in southern temperate countries, particularly Africa and Australasia and species are even found on oceanic islands. Four species are known from the island of Saint Helena, including the now extinct species W. roxburghii.[8]

• The following is a list of Wahlenbergia species recognised by the Plants of the World Online as at August 2024:[1]

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• Wahlenbergia abyssinica (Hochst. ex A.Rich.)

• Wahlenbergia abyssinica subsp. abyssinica

• Wahlenbergia abyssinica subsp. parvipetala Thulin

• Wahlenbergia acaulis E.Mey. ex A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia acicularis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia acuminata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia adamsonii Lammers

• Wahlenbergia adpressa (L.f.) Sond.

• Wahlenbergia akaroa J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia albens (Spreng. ex A.DC.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia albicaulis (Sond.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata Hook.

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. albomarginata

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. decora J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. flexilis (Petrie) J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. laxa (G.Simpson) J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia albomarginata subsp. olivina J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia androsacea A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia androsacea var. multicaulis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia angustifolia (Roxb.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia annua (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia annularis A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia annuliformis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia appressifolia Hilliard & B.L.Burtt

• Wahlenbergia arcta Thulin

• Wahlenbergia aridicola P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia asparagoides (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia asperifolia Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia axillaris (Sond.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia banksiana A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia berteroi Hook. & Arn.

• Wahlenbergia bolusiana Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia bowkeriae Sond.

• Wahlenbergia brachiata (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia brachycarpa Schltr.

• Wahlenbergia brachyphylla (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia brasiliensis Cham.

• Wahlenbergia brehmeri Lammers

• Wahlenbergia brevisquamifolia Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia buseriana Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia calcarea (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia calycina Schltdl. ex Griseb.

• Wahlenbergia campanuloides (Delile) Vatke

• Wahlenbergia candolleana (Hiern) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia candollei Tuyn

• Wahlenbergia capensis (L.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia capillacea (L.f.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia capillacea subsp. capillacea

• Wahlenbergia capillacea subsp. tenuior (Engl.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia capillaris (G.Lodd.) G.Don in R.Sweet – tufted bluebell

• Wahlenbergia capillata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia capillifolia E.Mey. ex Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia capitata (Baker) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia cartilaginea Hook.f.

• Wahlenbergia caryophylloides P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia celata P.I.Forst.

• Wahlenbergia cephalodina Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ceracea Lothian – waxy bluebell

• Wahlenbergia cerastioides Thulin

• Wahlenbergia cernua (Thunb.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia cinerea (L.f.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia clavata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia collomioides (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia compacta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia confusa Merr. & L.M.Perry

• Wahlenbergia congesta (Cheeseman) N.E.Br.

• Wahlenbergia congesta subsp. congesta

• Wahlenbergia congesta subsp. haastii J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia congestifolia Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia constricta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia cooperi Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia cordata (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia cordiformis Cupido & Engelbrecht

• Wahlenbergia costata A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia cuspidata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia debilis H.Buek in C.F.Ecklon & K.L.P.Zeyher

• Wahlenbergia decipiens A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia densicaulis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia densicaulis var. angusta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia densifolia Lothian – fairy bluebell

• Wahlenbergia dentata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia denticulata (Burch.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia denudata A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia depressa J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans

• Wahlenbergia desmantha Lammers

• Wahlenbergia dichotoma A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia dieterlenii (E.Phillips) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia dilatata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia distincta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia divergens A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia doleritica Hilliard & B.L.Burtt

• Wahlenbergia dunantii A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia ecklonii H.Buek in C.F.Ecklon & K.L.P.Zeyher

• Wahlenbergia effusa (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia epacridea Sond.

• Wahlenbergia erecta (Roth ex Schult.) Tuyn

• Wahlenbergia ericoidella (P.A.Duvign. & Denaeyer) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia erophiloides Markgr.

• Wahlenbergia exilis A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia fasciculata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia fernandeziana A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia filipes Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia fistulosa Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia flexuosa (Hook.f. & Thomson) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia floribunda Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia fluminalis (J.M.Black) E.Wimm. ex H.Eichler – river bluebell

• Wahlenbergia fruticosa Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia galpiniae Schltr.

• Wahlenbergia glabra P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia glandulifera Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia globularis E.Wimm.

• Wahlenbergia gloriosa Lothian – royal bluebell

• Wahlenbergia gracilenta Lothian – annual bluebell

• Wahlenbergia gracilis (G.Forst.) A.DC. – sprawling bluebell, Australian bluebell

• Wahlenbergia grahamiae Hemsl.

• Wahlenbergia grandiflora Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia graniticola Carolin

• Wahlenbergia hederacea (L.) Rchb.

• Wahlenbergia hirsuta (Edgew.) Tuyn

• Wahlenbergia hookeri (C.B.Clarke) Tuyn

• Wahlenbergia humbertii Thulin

• Wahlenbergia huttonii (Sond.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ingrata A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia insulae-howei Lothian

• Wahlenbergia intermedia Zahlbr.

• Wahlenbergia islensis P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia itatiaiensis Rollim & Trovó

• Wahlenbergia juncea (H.Buek) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia kowiensis R.A.Dyer

• Wahlenbergia krebsii Cham.

• Wahlenbergia krebsii subsp. arguta (Hook.f.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia krebsii subsp. krebsii

• Wahlenbergia lasiocarpa Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia laxiflora (Sond.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia levynsiae Lammers

• Wahlenbergia linarioides (Lam.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia linifolia (Roxb.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia littoralis (Labill.) Sweet

• Wahlenbergia littoricola P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia lobelioides (L.f.) Link

• Wahlenbergia lobelioides subsp. lobelioides

• Wahlenbergia lobelioides subsp. nutabunda (Guss.) Murb.

• Wahlenbergia lobelioides subsp. riparia (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia lobulata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia loddigesii (A.DC.) I.M.Turner

• Wahlenbergia longifolia (A.DC.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia longisquamifolia Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia luteola P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia lycopodioides Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia macrostachys (A.DC.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia madagascariensis A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia magaliesbergensis Lammers

• Wahlenbergia malaissei Thulin

• Wahlenbergia marginata (Thunb.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia marunguensis Thulin

• Wahlenbergia masafuerae (Phil.) Skottsb.

• Wahlenbergia massonii A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia matthewsii Cockayne

• Wahlenbergia melanops Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

• Wahlenbergia meyeri A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia microphylla (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia minuta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia mollis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia multicaulis Benth. in S.L.Endlicher & al.

• Wahlenbergia namaquana Sond.

• Wahlenbergia nana Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia napiformis (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia neorigida Lammers

• Wahlenbergia neostricta Lammers

• Wahlenbergia nodosa (H.Buek) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia obovata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia oligantha Lammers

• Wahlenbergia oligotricha Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia oocarpa Sond.

• Wahlenbergia orae Lammers

• Wahlenbergia oxyphylla A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia pallidiflora Hilliard & B.L.Burtt

• Wahlenbergia paludicola Thulin

• Wahlenbergia paniculata (L.f.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia papuana P.Royen

• Wahlenbergia parvifolia (P.J.Bergius) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia patula A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia paucidentata Schinz

• Wahlenbergia paucidentata var. tysonii Schinz

• Wahlenbergia pauciflora A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia peduncularis Wall. ex A.DC.) Hook.f. & Thomson

• Wahlenbergia perrieri Thulin

• Wahlenbergia perrottetii (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia persimilis Thulin

• Wahlenbergia peruviana A.Gray

• Wahlenbergia petraea Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pilosa H.Buek in C.F.Ecklon & K.L.P.Zeyher

• Wahlenbergia pinifolia N.E.Br.

• Wahlenbergia pinnata Compton

• Wahlenbergia planiflora P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia planiflora subsp. longipila Carolin ex P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia planiflora subsp. planiflora

• Wahlenbergia planifolia Gand.

• Wahlenbergia polyantha Lammers

• Wahlenbergia polycephala (Mildbr.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia polyclada A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia polyphylla Thulin

• Wahlenbergia polytrichifolia Schltr.

• Wahlenbergia polytrichifolia subsp. dracomontana Hilliard & B.L.Burtt

• Wahlenbergia polytrichifolia subsp. polytrichifolia

• Wahlenbergia preissii de Vriese in J.G.C.Lehmann

• Wahlenbergia procumbens (L.f.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia prostrata E.Mey. ex A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia psammophila Schltr.

• Wahlenbergia pseudoandrosacea Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia pseudoinhambanensis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia pseudonudicaulis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia pulchella Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. laurentii Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. mbalensis Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. michelii Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. paradoxa Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. pedicellata Thulin

• Wahlenbergia pulchella subsp. pulchella

• Wahlenbergia pulvillus-gigantis Hilliard & B.L.Burtt

• Wahlenbergia pusilla Hochst. ex A.Rich.

• Wahlenbergia pygmaea Colenso

• Wahlenbergia pygmaea subsp. drucei J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia pygmaea subsp. pygmaea

• Wahlenbergia pygmaea subsp. tararua J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia pyrophila Lammers

• Wahlenbergia queenslandica Carolin ex P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia ramifera Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia ramosa G.Simpson

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima (Hemsl.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. centiflora Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. lateralis (Brehmer) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. oldeniandioides Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. ramosissima.

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. richardsiae Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. subcapitata Thulin

• Wahlenbergia ramosissima subsp. zambiensis Thulin

• Wahlenbergia rara Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia rhytidosperma Thulin

• Wahlenbergia riversdalensis Lammers

• Wahlenbergia rivularis Diels

• Wahlenbergia roelliflora Schltr. & Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia roxburghii A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia rubens (H.Buek) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia rubioides (A.DC.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia rupestris G.Simpson

• Wahlenbergia rupicola G.T.Plunkett & J.J.Bruhl

• Wahlenbergia saxicola (R.Br.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia schistacea Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia schlechteri Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia schwackeana Zahlbr.

• Wahlenbergia scopella Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia scopulicola Carolin ex P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia scottii Thulin

• Wahlenbergia serpentina Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia sessiliflora Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia silenoides Hochst. ex A.Rich.

• Wahlenbergia sonderi Lammers

• Wahlenbergia songeana Thulin

• Wahlenbergia sphaerica Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia squamifolia Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia squarrosa Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia stellarioides Cham.

• Wahlenbergia stricta (R.Br.) Sweet

• Wahlenbergia stricta subsp. alterna P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia stricta subsp. stricta

• Wahlenbergia subaphylla (Baker) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia subaphylla subsp. scoparia (Wild) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia subaphylla subsp. subaphylla

• Wahlenbergia subaphylla subsp. thesioides Thulin

• Wahlenbergia subfusiformis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia subpilosa Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia subrosulata Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia subtilis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia subulata (L'Hér.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia subumbellata Markgr.

• Wahlenbergia suffruticosa Cupido

• Wahlenbergia taiwaniana S.S.Ying

• Wahlenbergia telfordii G.T.Plunkett & J.J.Bruhl

• Wahlenbergia tenella (L.f.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia tenuiloba Thulin

• Wahlenbergia tenuis A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle

• Wahlenbergia tetramera Thulin

• Wahlenbergia thulinii Lammers

• Wahlenbergia thunbergiana (H.Buek) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia thunbergii (Schult.) B.Nord.

• Wahlenbergia tibestica Quézel

• Wahlenbergia tomentosula Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia tortilis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia transvaalensis Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia tsaratananae Thulin

• Wahlenbergia tuberosa Hook.f.

• Wahlenbergia tumida Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia tumidifructa P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia umbellata (Adamson) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia undulata (L.f.) A.DC.

• Wahlenbergia unidentata (L.f.) Lammers

• Wahlenbergia upembensis Thulin

• Wahlenbergia urcosensis E.Wimm.

• Wahlenbergia verbascoides Thulin

• Wahlenbergia vernicosa J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia victoriensis P.J.Sm.

• Wahlenbergia violacea J.A.Petterson

• Wahlenbergia virgata Engl.

• Wahlenbergia virgulta Brehmer

• Wahlenbergia welwitschii (A.DC.) Thulin

• Wahlenbergia wittei Thulin

• Wahlenbergia wyleyana Sond.

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahlenbergia (2025)

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wahlenbergia_species (2025)