NIGELLA NOLANA. 201 



Self-sown seeds produce plants that flower in May, and 

 continue a long time in bloom if in a shady situation. They 

 will not flourish if exposed to the hot sun. 



N. aurita. Ear-leaved Nemophila. A hardy annual, 

 with purplish-blue flowers. 



N. atomaria, Dotted-flowered Nemophila, resembles 

 IV. insignis, but differs in its white flowers, which are thickly 

 dotted with dark purple. All the species are dwarf. 



N. maculata, Spotted Nemophila, is a spotted variety 

 of insignis, of great beauty, but not common. 



.NIGELLA. 



Love in a Mist. 



Nigella, from niger, black, because of the color of the seeds, 

 which are the parts of the plant used in cookery. The species 

 are curious or neat little plants, with fine-cut leaves, like 

 fennel. N. damascena and sativa are hardy annuals. In 

 some parts of Europe, the leaves and seed of the latter 

 species, and IV. arvensis, are used in cookery, instead of more 

 expensive aromatics. They are also said to be extensively 

 used in the adulteration of pepper. 



IV. damascena is from the south of Europe ; two feet high, 

 with light-blue flowers, from June to September. 



Flowers in a leafy involucre. 



NOLANA. 



Nolana is a diminution of nola, signifying a bell in low 

 Latin. The name has been applied to this plant on account 

 of its bell-shaped corolla. The species are hardy annuals, 

 of beautiful appearance when in flower. 



Nolana prostrata. Trailing Nolana. Elegant annual from 



