Description:

• Herbs, undershrubs, or small shrubs, often with milky juice
• Leaves alternate, rarely opposite or whorled, simple, entire, toothed, lobed or cut, rarely rudimentary; stipules 0
• Flowers bisexual, regular, in cymes, racemes or panicles or axillary and solitary; bracts present or absent
• Calyx (3 or 4)5(6-10)-lobed or -partite (calyx tube refers to portion above ovary); lobes equal or unequal, valvate
• Corolla gamopetalous, 4- or 5-lobed; tube campanulate, cylindric, rarely funnel-shaped, arising at line where calyx becomes free from ovary
• Stamens as many as corolla lobes and alternating with them, free from or arising in corolla tube; filaments free or connate into a tube, often dilated at base; anthers free but often connivent, 2-thecous, opening lengthwise
• Ovary inferior, half-superior or rarely superior, (1)2-5(6-10)-locular, with axile placentas, rarely basal or apical, 2-few to many ovules in each locule; style simple, often hidden by connate to connivent stamens; stigmas as many as locules
• Fruit a capsule or berry, often crowned with persistent calyx, variously dehiscent, rarely indehiscent
• Seeds often small, smooth or reticulate-rugose

Classification Notes:

• Lobeliaceae (incl. Cyphiaceae) is sometimes classified under Campanulaceae in broad sense, which would then consist of three subfamilies, namely Campanuloideae (Flowers ± regular; anthers usually eventually free: all genera of Campanulaceae in strict sense, treated below); Cyphioideae (Flowers irregular; stamens sometimes united, anthers free: Cyphia); Lobelioideae (Flowers usually irregular; anthers connate: Grammatotheca, Lobelia, Monopsis, Wimmerella (=Laurentia))

Nomenclature:

• Campanulaceae
  • Sonder: 530 (1865) in broad sense, excluding Lobeliaceae and Goodeniaceae
  • Thulin: 87 (1983)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 35, species ± 700, cosmopolitan, especially in Mediterranean region and southern Africa, relatively few in the African tropics
• Southern Africa: Genera 12, species ± 260

References:

• SONDER, W. 1865. Campanulaceae, Campanuleae. Flora capensis 3
• THULIN, M. 1983. Campanulaceae. Flora zambesiaca 7,1

Resources:

• Key to Campanulaceae genera

• Campanulaceae genera: