NIEREMBERGIA 



NIGELLA 



2145 



Petunia and characterized by the long and very slender 

 tube of the corolla. 



Several species of Nierembergia have distinct value 

 for certain purposes. N. gracilis makes an excellent 

 pot- or basket-plant, and is also popular for the border. 

 A", frutescens does well in the open, but is more desir- 



able as a pot-plant. N. 



rivularis is perhaps the 



most desirable species 2481. Nierembergia 



of the group, and is gracilis. 



adapted to a wide range 



of conditions. It thrives 



best in a moist soil with 



a half-shaded exposure, 



but often makes fine 



patches on a dry bank, 



or even in the rockery. 



Both N. gracilis and N. frutescens thrive in a loose, 



rather moist soil, but are not impatient of dryness. 



These three species endure winters without protection 



in the latitude of New York. 



Nierembergias are propagated chiefly by cuttings 

 taken in the fall, or by seeds. N. rivularis is most 

 readily increased by dividing the creeping stem where 

 it has rooted at the nodes. As most species are tender, 

 they are best stored indoors, a cool greenhouse being 

 best, where they may receive plenty of light 'and air. 

 It is best to cut them down almost to the soil when 

 setting them away for the winter. 



A. St. prostrate or creeping: branches ascending. 

 B. Fls. creamy white, sometimes slightly tinted with rose 



or blue. 



rivularis, Miers. WHITE-CUP. Whole plant glabrous: 

 st. slender, creeping, rooting freely at the nodes, form- 

 ing a dense mat, the branches seldom rising over 6 in. 

 high: Ivs. oblong to oblong-spatulate, obtuse membra- 

 naceous, variable in size, with a long, slender petiole: 

 fls. sessile or short-peduncled; calyx cylindrical, the 

 lobes oblong-lanceolate, slightly spreading; corolla- 

 limb broadly bell-shaped, 1-2 in. broad; throat golden 

 yellow. La Platte River, S. Amer. B.M. 5608. J.H. 

 III. 31:311. Gn. 23, p. 188; 25, p. 145; 64, p. 113; 66, 

 p. 431. G. 19:33. A very adaptable and desirable 

 species for a stream bank, dry border or alpine garden. 

 The fls. are large and beautiful. It is difficult to eradi- 

 cate after onee established, as small pieces of the st. will 

 take root and grow. 



BB. Fls. white, with purple center. 

 gracilis, Hook. (N. filicaiilis, Hort.). Fig. 2481. 

 Branches very slender, ascending 6-8 in., slightly 

 downy: Ivs. scarcely Hin. long, linear or slightly 

 spatulate, those on the younger branches somewhat 

 hairy: limb of corolla spreading, convex, white tinged 



136 



and veined with purple toward the center, throat 

 yellow. Argentina. B.M. 3108. G. 29:255. A charm- 

 ing little plant for the hanging-basket. A garden form, 

 var. Crozyana, Hort., has fls. tinted lilac and appears 

 to be more floriferous than the type. F.S. 14:1410. 



BBS. Fls. pale lilac. 



Veitchii, Berkeley. St. 8-12 in. long, with slender, 

 glabrous or slightly pubescent branches: Ivs. Yy-\ in. 

 long, short-petioled or sessile, the upper linear, the 

 lower broadly spatulate: calyx-lobes linear-oblong, 

 recurved; corolla-tube Y^-y^va.. long, white, the limb 

 broadly bell-shaped, pale lHac. Trop. Amer. B.M. 

 5599. F. 1872, p. 141. 



AA. St. nearly erect. 



frutescens, Dur. (N. fruticbsa, Hort.). TALL CUP- 

 FLOWER. St. 1-3 ft. high, much branched, shrubby: 

 Ivs. scattered, linear: fls. about 1 in. broad, the limb 

 saucer-shaped, white tinted with lilac or blue; throat 

 yellow; handsome. Chile. The fls. resemble N. 

 gracilis in color, but are much larger. Valuable in the 

 greenhouse or for the border. As a pot-plant it makes a 

 fine bush and bears fls. almost continuously. It can be 

 used as a bedding plant with excellent results if started 

 under glass and transplanted. G. 33 : 109, 595. H.F. II. 

 10:9. A garden form, var. grandiflora, Hort. (N. gran- 

 diflora, Hort.) has somewhat larger fls. than the type. 

 Var. albiflora, Hort. Fls. white, appearing well with 

 the foliage. Var. atro-violacea, Hort. Pretty plants, 

 very compact, with dark violet fls. Reproduces well 

 from seed. g. w. FLETCHER. 



A. C. HoTTES.t 



NIGELLA (diminutive of niger, black; referring to 

 the color of the seeds). Ranunculacex. LOVE-IN-A 

 MIST. DEVIL-IN-A-BUSH. FENNEL-FLOWER. Hardy 

 annuals grown for then* interesting flowers and seed- 

 pods which are often surrounded by the much-divided 

 involucre. 



Stems erect: Ivs. 

 finely divided, alter- 

 nate: fls. showy, white, 

 blue or yellow ; sepals 5, 

 regular, petal-like, de- 

 ciduous; petals 5, with 

 hollow claws, notched 

 or 2 - lobed : carpels 

 3-10, fusing at the 

 base into 1 cavity, cells 

 opening at the top 

 when mature; seeds 

 many, black and hard. 

 About 12 species, 

 including Garidella; 

 mostly natives of the 

 Medit. region. Follow- 

 ing 3 are the only spe- 

 cies now used in Amer. 



Nigellas require little 

 care. The seed should 

 be sown in the open- 

 border in good soil any 

 time after the land is 

 fit to work in early 

 spring, as the plants 

 are entirely hardy. The 

 seedlings should be 

 thinned, if necessary, 

 to a distance of about 

 8 inches. They seldom 

 succeed well if trans- 

 planted. If the seeds 

 are sown in early 

 autumn, the plants 

 may withstand a mild 



winter and be ready to 2482. Nigella damascena. 



