Prior names
Wahlenbergia sieberi
Wahlenbergia quadrifida
Campanula gracilis
Common names
Australian Bluebell
Sprawling Bluebell
Etymology
Wahlenbergia named by H.A Schrader in honour of Georg G�ran Wahlenberg (1780-1851), a Swedish professor of botany. Gracilis from Latin meaning slender; alluding to the species habit.
Distribution and status
Found in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in shady grassy areas. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Uncommon in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Tufted perennial, few to many stems from a thickened taproot, smooth or with short hairs near base, stems erect, ascending or sprawling, to 80 cm long. Leaves alternate or opposite for a few pairs near base, obovate (usually near base) to linear (above), to 70 mm long and 10 mm wide, margins of broader leaves commonly with small callus-teeth, others usually entire. Flowers blue, sometimes pink or white, funnel-shaped with 5 narrowly triangular lobes. Flowering between September and January. Fruits are brown conical capsule to 7 mm long. Seeds are tiny brown elliptic seed to 0.6 mm long and 0.2 mm wide, with fine striated surface. Seed embryo type is spatulate under-developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between October and February. Collect capsules that are maturing, drying and turning brown with brown seeds inside. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for a week. Then rub the capsules gently with your hands to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Be careful as the seeds are very small. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From three collections, the seed viability were high, ranging from 90% to 100%.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA | 3,200 (0.35 g) | 40 | 1-Dec-2006 | RJB70484B Southern Lofty | 1-Aug-2007 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 31,000 (0.36 g) | 50 | 10-Nov-2007 | RJB75508 Southern Lofty | 19-Sep-2008 | 90% | -18°C |
BGA | 74,000 (1.88 g) | 20+ | 18-Dec-2009 | KHB351 Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 86,100 (0.827 g) | 50+ | 9-Dec-2021 | JJS32 Southern Lofty | 7-Jul-2022 | 100% | -18°C, -80°C |