''Uvularia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of flowering plants in the family

Colchicaceae Colchicaceae is a family of flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; ...

, which is closely related to the

lily ''Lilium'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large and often prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are ...

family (

Liliaceae The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a fai ...

). They are commonly called bellworts, bellflowers, or merrybells. The genus name is derived from the Latin ''ūvula'' meaning "little grape", likely because of the way the flowers hang downward. For the same reason ''Uvularia'' may also refer to the similarly derived

palatine uvula The uvula (: uvulas or uvulae), also known as the palatine uvula or staphyle, is a conic projection from the back edge of the middle of the soft palate, composed of connective tissue containing a number of racemose glands, and some muscular fibe ...

, which hangs down from the

soft palate The soft palate (also known as the velum, palatal velum, or muscular palate) is, in mammals, the soft biological tissue, tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is part of the palate of the mouth; the other part is ...

in the mouth. The plants are often found growing on wooded slopes or in ravines and they spread by

stolons In biology, a stolon ( from Latin '' stolō'', genitive ''stolōnis'' – "branch"), also known as a runner, is a horizontal connection between parts of an organism. It may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton. Typically, animal stolons ar ...

, or stoloniferous rhizomes. The plants are usually in height and bear one or two flowers per stem in April and May, that hang downward from the axils of the leaves.

Species

There are five

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of ''Uvularia''. All are exclusively native (

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

) to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. They grow from northern

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

west to

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

and south to

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

. : ''

Uvularia floridana ''Uvularia floridana'', the Florida bellwort, is a plant species native to the US states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina. It grows in rich hardwood forests at elevations less than 100 m. ''Uvularia floridana'' is ...

'' Chapm. – Florida bellwort - FL GA SC AL MS : ''

Uvularia grandiflora ''Uvularia grandiflora'', the large-flowered bellwort or merrybells, is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae, native to eastern and central North America. Description Growing to tall by broad, it is a rhizomatous herbace ...

'' Sm. – large-flowered bellwort -

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

, E + C United States : ''

Uvularia perfoliata ''Uvularia perfoliata'', the perfoliate bellwort, is a perennial forb indigenous (ecology), native to the eastern United States and Canada, which produces pale yellow flowers in spring. Description The smooth slender stem of ''Uvularia perfoli ...

'' L. – perfoliate bellwort -

, E + SC United States : ''

Uvularia puberula ''Uvularia puberula'', the mountain bellwort, is a plant species native to the eastern United States. It is common across Virginia, North and South Carolina, West Virginia, and adjacent parts of northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentuc ...

'' Michx. – mountain bellwort - EC United States : ''

Uvularia sessilifolia ''Uvularia sessilifolia'', the sessile bellwort, sessileleaf bellwort, little merrybells or wild oats, is a species of bellwort native to eastern and central North America. It grows in woodlands with wet or dry soils. The strap-like leaves are ...

'' L. – sessile bellwort - E Canada, NE + SE United States,

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...

Mississippi Valley The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

Description

''Uvularia'' species are herbaceous perennials with erect, simple or twice branched stems. Leaves alternate, sessile or perfoliate. Single or sometimes paired flowers hang downward from the top of the stems appearing axillary but are in fact terminal. They bloom in spring with bell shaped flowers composed of long tepals. Fruits are three lobed, greenish to yellowish brown in color, producing 1 to 3 roundish seeds per

locule A locule (: locules) or loculus (; : loculi) is a small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an organism (animal, plant, or fungus). In angiosperms (flowering plants), the term ''locule'' usually refers to a chamber within an ovary ...

Cultivation

These unobtrusive

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...

plants are used in woodland and shade gardens.

References

Colchicaceae genera Flora of Canada Flora of the United States {{liliales-stub