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Perfoliate Bellwort, Merry Bells - Uvularia perfoliata


Family: Liliaceae - Lily family Genus Common Name: Bellwort Native Status: Native
Uvularia perfoliata - Perfoliate Bellwort, Merry Bells. Perfoliate Bellwort is one of two perfoliate - leaf-piercing stems - bellworts. The other is Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora. Perfoliate Bellwort is a smaller plant, usually with smaller leaves and blossoms, in addition to usually being somewhat lower-growing.

Journal Articles Referencing Bellwort

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Uvularia perfoliata

Distribution of Uvularia perfoliata in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
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Site: Blue Ridge Gap, Towns County, GA Date: 2010-April-13Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
1/125f/8 ISO100
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
90mm (135 equiv)
While the petals of Perfoliate Bellwort are not perfectly straight, they are not as twisted as on Uvularia grandiflora.
Uvularia perfoliata
Site: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2008-March-30Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D40
1/125f/5.6 ISO450
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm 4-5.6G ED
200mm (300 equiv)
Bellwort blossoms are made up of six overlapping yellow tepals. I originally identified this as Large Flowered Bellwort, the other perfoliate species, but have decided that this must be U. perfoliata due to the lack of twist in the tepals, and concluding that both U. grandiflora and U. perfoliata are present at this location.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Uvularia perfoliata
Site: Blue Ridge Gap, Towns County, GA Date: 2010-April-30Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
1/125f/8 ISO100
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
90mm (135 equiv)
Perfoliate Bellwort has a granular inner surface on the petals and sepals.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Uvularia perfoliata
Site: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2010-April-14Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson ISO100
The petals and sepals of Perfoliate Bellwort usually lack the distinct twist that is found in the blossom of Large-flowered Bellwort.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Uvularia perfoliata
Site: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2010-April-14Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
1/25f/4.5 ISO200
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
90mm (135 equiv)
The arrow points to the species' epithet namesake - perfoliate. The stem pierces the leaf, or probably more appropriately the leaf surrounds the stem.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Uvularia perfoliata
Site: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2010-April-14Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Another key identifier to separate Uvularia perfoliata from U. grandiflora is the fruit. The fruit of Perfoliate Bellwort is obovate. See the detail page for Uvularia grandiflora to see the fruit of Large-flowered Bellwort.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Uvularia perfoliata
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Uvularia perfoliata initially published on USWildflowers.com 2010-04-28; Updated 2015-06-24

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302