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Gloxinia perennis Fritsch 1894
Purple flowers that grow on a stem. the leaf resembles a begonia. It spreads fast by underground root system. The flower blooms in the fall Oct-Nov. The flowers are bell shaped.
Grows any where but seems to prefer shady areas.
The first known reference to a flower called the Canterbury bell is in John Gerard's herbal of 1597. Gerard explains that Canterbury bells are thus called because they grow more plentifully in Canterbury than elsewhere. The flower he describes is actually campanula trachelium. Indeed, campanula medium was known as Coventry bells during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is not certain how Canterbury bells acquired their name and their association with Canterbury. Bells were indeed a symbol of pilgrimage. It is thought that pilgrims to Canterbury may have picked the flowers, which would have resembled the bells on the horses' harnesses: they are mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (late 1380s) Journal of Advanced Scientific Research In traditional medicine, the leaves of this plant have been reported to possess antimicrobial12-14, antifungal15, anti ulcer16, anti-inflammatory& analgesic17-18 and antihypertensive19 activities. The methanol extract of the leaves of Available online through www.sciensage.info 43 Kanika Patel et al./ J.Adv.Sci.Res.,2011, 2(1);42-49 the plant has also been reported to have histamine receptor (H1) antagonism in the ileum, peripheral vasculature and bronchial muscle20. http://www.sciensage.info/journal/131056... The Gesneriaceae family
Spotted on Oct 4, 2011
Submitted on Oct 4, 2011
6 Comments
I looked that up and I found a interesting link it states that In traditional medicine, the leaves of this plant have been reported to possess antimicrobial12-14, antifungal15, anti ulcer16, anti-inflammatory& analgesic17-18 and antihypertensive19 activities. The methanol extract of the leaves of Available online through www.sciensage.info 43 Kanika Patel et al./ J.Adv.Sci.Res.,2011, 2(1);42-49
the plant has also been reported to have histamine receptor (H1) antagonism in the ileum, peripheral vasculature and bronchial muscle20.
http://www.sciensage.info/journal/131056...
I also found more history on this plant~ It is thought that pilgrims to Canterbury may have picked the flowers, which would have resembled the bells on the horses' harnesses: they are mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (late 1380s)
In India in Western ghat hills we see Corallodiscus genus herbs.
I am very grateful to you!! I poured over books and looked on the Internet for years..And also looked for these plants in plant centers and gardens, .none of the elders knew the name of this plant. Someone must have brought it here from South America?
Welcome...!!
I get or collected knowledge about plants after joining Project Noah only.. Otherwise I could't know what is Tribe, Family, Genus and Specie of a plant.
Thank You, AshishNimkar!! You are very intelligent. You haelped solve a 25 year old plant mystery!! These are in the Gesneriaceae family and are called Canterbury Bells. http://www.succulent-plant.com/families/...
Much Thanks!!
Scrophulariaceae and Gesneriaceae families had such type of flowers.