CAMPANULA

(Lat. campana, a bell.) A very large genus of hardy herbaceous plants and annuals, inhabiting the temperate parts of both the eastern and western hemispheres, but most abundant in the latter. They have blue or white flowers, often of considerable size, on which account most of the species are favourites in gardens. In M. Alphonso de Candolle's account of the genus, published in 1830, after separating from it several groups, 152 species are enumerated. The onlv useful plant among them is C.rapunculus, the radish-like sort of which is sometimes eaten under the name of Rampion. i!i6 CANAL. [s. 199]