Bot. [mod.L. campānula, dim. of campāna bell.] A bell-flower; a large genus of herbaceous plants, giving its name to the N.O. Campanulaceæ. The flowers are bell-shaped, and usually blue or white. The best-known species are C. rotundifolia (Bluebell of Scotland), and C. Medium (Canterbury Bells).
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 205. Antirrhinum, Asphodel, Campanula.
1738–9. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), II. 40. My lady Sutherland will be very glad of your campanula and vetch seed.
1806. Bowles, Banwell Hill, I. 184. Along this solitary ridge, Where smiles, but rare, the blue campanula.
1846. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., I. II. I. vii. § 22. The interwoven bells of campanula and heather.
1849. Kingsley, N. Devon Misc., II. 262. The little ivy-leaved campanula.
