NEMOPHILA 



NEMOPHILA OIWEB 



NEMOPHILA 667 ' 



imbricate or rarely twisted lobes. Stamens equal in number to the coroll 

 lobes, sometimes protruding. Ovary superior, 1-2-celled. Styles 2, thread- 

 like. Fruit capsular. 



There are 16 genera and about 150 species mostly natives of N. America, 

 but few are found in a cultivated state. The genus Hydrophylhim, which 

 gives its name to the order, is sometimes represented in botanical gardens by 

 H. canadense and H. virginicum grown in moist soil. The following are the 

 most important garden plants of the order. 



NEMOPHILA (Californian Blue- 

 bell). — A genus containing 7 or 8 species 

 of dwarf branching showy annuals, 

 nearly all natives of California. Leaves 

 alternate or op]posite, plnnately lobed and 

 dissected. Flowers showy, blue, white, 

 or spotted, at the ends of the branches 

 or opposite the leaves on elongated 1- 

 flowered stalks ; rarely shortly pedi- 

 cellate, in few-flowered, terminal cymes. 

 Calyx 5-lobed and furnished between the 

 lobes with reflexed teeth, which enlarge 

 after the flower opens. Corolla broadly 

 bell-shaped or rotate, with 5 broad imbri- 

 cated lobes. Stamens 5. Disc sinuately 

 5-lobed or none. Ovary l-celled; style 

 more or less 2-cleft with a capitate stigma. 

 Capsule 1-4-seeded. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Nemophilas are popular annuals much 

 valued for their bright and gay appear- 

 ance in the summer. They are easily 

 grown in ordinary good garden soil, and 

 are well adapted for the edges of flower 

 borders, exposed parts of the rock garden, 

 or in small beds by themselves. The 

 seed may be sown in April wherever the 

 plants are required to bloom, thinning the 

 seedlings out 6-8 in. apart. To obtain 

 a show of blossom early in summer seed 

 must -be sown the previous August or 

 September in cold frames and in light, 

 free soil. The seedlings are pricked out 

 in the usual way and may be transferred 

 to the open border in mild weather in 

 spring. As a rule, however, Nemophilas 

 are usually raised from seed sown in 

 spring either in gentle heat about March, 

 or in the open border in April and May. 



N. aurita. — An annual about 18 in. 

 high, with pinnate hairy leaves produced 

 at the base into 2 ear-like lobes embra- 

 cing the stem. Flowers in June, purple- 

 violet, about 1 in. across. 



Culture dc. as above. 



N. insigfnis. — A pretty dwarf, tufted, 

 much-branched annual about 18 in. high. 



covered with roughish hairs, and having 

 opposite, pinnately cut leaves with 3-4 

 lobes on each side, quite entire or cut. 

 Flowers in spring and summer, sky-blue 

 with a white centre, over 1 m. across, 

 solitary on long stalks arising from the 

 axils of the leaves. 



There are many varieties, among 

 which the best are alba, with white 

 flowers ; margvnata, blue flowers edged- 

 with white ; purpurea rosea, purple-rose r 

 and albo-variegata or striata, a charm- 

 ing form with white flowers sometimes- 

 beautifully striped and blotched with 

 sky-blue. Occasionally on the same plant 

 will be produced some flowers entirely 

 white, some entirely blue, and others 

 white and blue combined. 



N. insignis and its varieties are the 

 best and showiest for the garden. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



N. maculata. — A pretty annual about 

 6 in. high, with very hairy, pinnately out 

 leaves having rounded acute or bluntish 

 lobes. Flowers in summer, over 1 in. 

 across, white with a large violet-purple 

 blotch at the tip of each corolla-lobe. 



Culture de. as above. 



N. Menziesi (N. atomaria). — A hand- 

 some annual 4-8 in. high with opposite 

 leaves pinnately cut into 5-9 almost 

 entire lobes. Flowers in summer, white 

 or pale blue, deUcately dotted with 

 black ; corolla rotate, very hairy at the 



Owing to its dwarf, bushy, tufted 

 habit and great numbers of flowers this- 

 species is excellent for edges to borders 

 or beds, or to form a carpet beneath 

 taller growing plants like Standard 

 Eoses. There are a few fine varieties 

 such as alba, white with a black centre ; 

 ccelestis, with a sky-blue margin ; oculata, 

 pale blue, with a blackish centre, very 

 free-flowering. The plant known in 

 gardens as discoidalis has dark purple- 



