{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Wahlenbergia Stricta Red Hill.jpg | image_caption = ''Wahlenbergia stricta'' | taxon = Wahlenbergia | authority = Schrad. ex Roth (1821), nom. cons.<ref name="PoWO">{{cite web |title=''Wahlenbergia'' |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332055-2 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=21 October 2025}}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 263; see List of ''Wahlenbergia'' species | subdivision_ref = <ref name=PoWO /> | synonyms = {{Species list| Aikinia|(A.DC.) Salisb. ex Fourr. (1869), nom. illeg.| Campanopsis|(R.Br.) Kuntze (1891)| Campanuloides|A.DC. (1830)| Campanulopsis|Zoll. & Moritzi (1844)| Cephalostigma|A.DC. (1830)| Cervicina|Delile (1813), nom. rej.| Hecale|Raf. (1837)| Hesperocodon|Eddie & Cupido (2014)| Ireon|Scop. (1777), nom. illeg.| Lightfootia|L'Hér. (1790), nom. illeg.| Petalostima|Raf. (1837)| Schultesia|Roth (1827), nom. illeg.| Streleskia|Hook.f. (1847)| Valvinterlobus|Dulac (1867), nom. superfl. }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = PoWO/> }}
'''''Wahlenbergia''''' is a genus of around 260 species of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. Plants in this genus are perennial or annual herbs with simple leaves and blue to purple bell-shaped flowers, usually with five petals lobes. Species of ''Wahlenbergia'' are native to environments on all continents except North America, and on some isolated islands, but the greatest diversity occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.
==Description== Plants in the genus ''Wahlenbergia'' are annual or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs, and sometimes have rhizomes. The stems are erect, circular in cross section and have simple leaves. The leaves decrease in size up the stem and usually have small scattered teeth on their edges. The flowers are borne on the end of the stems, either singly or arranged in a cyme. There are five sepals that remain until the fruiting stage. The petals are blue to purple and are joined at their base to form a bell-shaped or funnel-shaped tube with five lobes. There are usually five stamens, the style is often branched at the tip and the fruit is a capsule containing up to fifty seeds.<ref name="RBGV">{{cite web |title=''Wahlenbergia'' |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/7a8d009f-8c00-4c96-8f90-74de3eb35741 |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="RBGS">{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Peter J. |title=Genus ''Wahlenbergia'' |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=gn&name=Wahlenbergia |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="FloraBase">{{cite web |title=''Wahlenbergia'' |url=https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/22130 |publisher=Western Australian Herbarium |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref>
==Taxonomy and naming== In 1814, Heinrich Schrader used the name ''Wahlenbergia elongata'' but the name was a nomen nudum. The genus was first formally described in 1821 by Albrecht Wilhelm Roth and the description was published in Roth's book ''Novae Plantarum Species praesertim Indiae Orientalis''. Roth retained Schrader's name ''Wahlenbergia''.<ref name="PoWO" /><ref name="Roth">{{cite book |last1=Roth |first1=Albrecht Wilhelm |title=Novae plantarum species praesertim Indiae orientalis |date=1821 |location=Halberstadt |pages=399–400 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/41813#page/403/mode/1up |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="Smith">{{cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Peter |title=A revision of the genus ''Wahlenbergia'' (Campanulaceae) in Australia |journal=Telopea |date=30 September 1992 |volume=5 |issue=1 |page=91 |doi=10.7751/telopea19924963|doi-access=free }}</ref> The name honours Göran Wahlenberg (a Swedish botanist who taught at Uppsala University).<ref name="ANBG2">{{cite web |last1=Halloran |first1=Joe |title=''Wahlenbergia gloriosa'' |url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/wahlenbergia-gloriosa.html |publisher=Australian National Botanic Garden |access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref>
==Distribution== The genus is widespread and species of ''Wahlenbergia'' are native to all continents except North America. The highest species diversity is in southern temperate countries, particularly Africa and Australasia and species are even found on oceanic islands. Four species are known from the island of Saint Helena, including the now extinct species ''W. roxburghii''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Mabberley's Plant-Book|last=Mabberley|first=David J.|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2017|isbn=9781107115026|edition=4th|location=Cambridge}}</ref>
<gallery> Image:Bluebell. Wahlenbergia stricta. Campanulaceae - Flickr - gailhampshire.jpg|''Wahlenbergia stricta'' Image:Wahlenbergia violacea kz6.jpg|''Wahlenbergia violacea'' Image:Wahlenbergia capensis.jpg|''Wahlenbergia capensis'' </gallery>
==See also== *List of ''Wahlenbergia'' species
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1511493}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Wahlenbergia Category:Campanulaceae genera Category:Taxa described in 1821 Category:Taxa named by Albrecht Wilhelm Roth