Wahlenbergia roxburghii A. DC.

Roxbourgh’s Bellflower (Wahlenbergia roxburghii)

Roxbourgh’s Bellflower was described in 1830, it was endemic to the island of Saint Helena in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. A second form, described in 1839 as Wahlenbergia burchellii A. DC. was recently synonymized with it.

The species was a sparsely branched shrub reaching heigths of 60 to 90 cm, the leaves were 8 to 14 cm long and 2 to 3,5 cm wide, the white, bell-shaped flowers appeared in terminal inflorescences.

Roxbourgh’s Bellflower was last seen in 1873 respectively in 1877 (as Wahlenbergia burchellii A. DC.) and is now extinct.

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Depiction from: ‘John Charles Meliss: St. Helena: A Physical, Historical, and Topographical Description of the Island, including its Geology, Fauna, Flora, and Meteorology. London: L. Reeve & Co. 1875’    

(public domain)

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edited: 13.09.2020