Pruate LIL. dis. 
(A) NIGELLA Garipetii, Moggridge; (B) N. arvensis, Linn. ; 
(C) N. pamascena, Linn.; (D) N. sartrva, Linn. 
Natural Order RANUNCULACES. 
Gen. Cuan.—Flowers terminal. Sepals 5-8, of regular shape. Petals 
irregular in shape, the limb being bifid and two-lipped. Stamens 
usually many (only about 10 in N. orientalis, Linn., and N. Garidelli, 
Moggridge), very regularly superposed in linear series, forming bundles 
which alternate with the petals (see Fig. B. 1), at first upright and 
then horizontally depressed; anther-valves horny, not shrivelling, the 
posterior pair larger, folded back at dehiscence so as to touch one 
another. Carpels 3-10, opening at the apex when ripe. Plants annual 
(A.) Spec. CHar.—Flowers small. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, covered 
with minute white scales, upright. Petals opposite to and twice as 
long as sepals, lower lip of two linear lobes, without tubercles, covere 
below with white, clavate hairs, upper lip very short, ovate. Carpels 
2-3, united almost in their whole length, covered with granular tu- 
bercles ; stigmas almost sessile. Leaves trifid or pinnatifid, of few linear 
segments. 
Nigella Garidelli, Moggridge. Garidella Nigellastrum, Linn. Sp. 
Plant. p. 608; Gren. et Godr. FI. de Fr. i. 42; Woods, Tour. Fl. p. 8. 
(B.) Spec. Coar.—Flowers not surrounded by leaves. Sepals 5-8, 
cordate-ovate, suddenly contracted below into a claw half its length, 
strongly 3-nerved. Petals not half as long as sepals, lower lip of two 
ovate lobes, attenuate above and ending in thickened knobs, hairy 
below, and having two small shining tubercles* on either side, near the 
cavity under the upper lip; upper lip ovate, attenuate into a filiform 
tip. Anthers apiculate. Carpels free in two-thirds of their length, 
glabrous; styles long, and spirally twisted, as in the two following 
species. Leaves pinnatifid, segments glabrous, linear-filiform. 
Nigella arvensis, Linn. Sp. Plant. 753; Gren. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. » 
i. 43; Woods, Tour. FI. p. 8. 
(C.) Spec. Cuar.—Flower surrounded by leaves simulating an in- 
volucre. Sepals ovate, claw very short. Petals short, lobes of lower 
lip rounded, ciliate, furnished with two shining tubercles below ; upper 
lip ovate, acute, rolled inwards into the deep cavity at the base of the 
limb. Carpels 4, or, more usually, 5, completely united, subglobular 
and swollen when ripe; the inner surface of each carpellary leaf sepa- 
rated so as to form a membranous inner cell round the ovules (Fig. 
C 4). Leaves tripinnatifid, the segments linear or linear-lanceolate in 
the lower leaves. 
* By an oversight, these tubercles were omitted in the final drawing for Fig. B 3. 
* 
