JACOB's LADDER
Polemonium Caeruleum
Jacob's Ladder / Phlox Family [Polemoniaceae] 
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Jacob's Ladder / Phlox Family [Polemoniaceae]
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flower
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morph
petals
type
stem
| 9th June 2008, Lathkildale, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| In a now dry limestone valley, the river long since having worked its way underground in this part. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| Could be mistaken for Monkshood at first glance. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| The bright mauve flowers in a spike up the stem. |
| 9th June 2008, Lathkildale, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| A bell-shaped flower with five petals and nominally five prominent white stamens with a large blob of bright yellow pollen at the ends. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| Un-opened flower buds taper to a point at the ends. |
| 9th June 2008, Lathkildale, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| The central inner of the flower is white. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| Five green sepals. Large blobs of pollen. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| The forest of lower leaves. |
| 9th June 2008, Chelmorton, Derbyshire | Photo: © RWD |
| The pinnate slightly hairy leaves are set in pairs at an offset-angle up the ridged stem which maximises the sun-gathering whilst minimising self-shadowing. The ladder morphology of the leaves indubiatably gave rise to the name 'Jacobs' Ladder' and gives the impression that the leaves may, in a wind, exhibit aerodynamic lift. |
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Some similarities to : Giant Bellflower and other tall bellflowers, but the leaves of Jacobs Ladder are pinnate.
Distinguishing Feature : A medium tall plant to 1m with large bluish bellflower-shaped flowers. Leaves in a step-ladder conformation, not dissimilar in configuration to those of A quite rare plant occupying several places on limestone cliff ledges, notably at Malham Cove in Yorkshire and localised places in Derbyshire, like Lathkildale. Jacobs Ladder was the only known member of the Jacobs Ladder Family until taxonomists decided to put a few more Genera in the Polemoniaceae family. It now includes Phlox. A black dye is produced by boiling the plant in olive oil, used as a hair-dressing for men with greying hair. ANY TEXT GOES HERE |
 Polemonium |
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Jacob's Ladder / Phlox Family [Polemoniaceae]
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