By George Bentham, Esq. 



479 



Phacelia tanacetifolia. 



P. caule erecto, foliis bipinnatisectis : segmentis oblongis dentatis supremis con- 

 fluentibus, staminibus exsertis. 



This is a more elegant and less weedy plant than the P. circin- 

 nata now common in gardens. It grows to the height of a foot and a 

 half or two feet. The stems are erect, not much branched, bearing 

 a few rigid and reflexed hairs. The leaves are altogether from 3 to 

 5 inches long ; the primary segments, especially the lower ones, are 

 slightly petiolated.. from 8 to 12 in number on each leaf and from 

 half an inch to an inch distant. The secondary segments are from 

 a quarter to half an inch long ; those nearest the axis, sessile and 

 distinct, the upper ones confluent ; they are green on both sides, 

 nearly glabrous, but covered with asperities. The flowers are of a 

 light bluish violet colour, nearly sessile along one sided, spirally in- 

 curved racemes, forming together a dense dichotomous panicle 

 placed at some distance from the upper leaves ; the calyxes are 

 covered with bristly hairs. 



It is a hardy annual, thriving in any soil or situation. 



Nemophila insignis. 



N. foliis oppositis pinnatifidis basi in petiolum angustatis : lobis integerrimis 1-2 den- 

 tatisve, calycis sinubus reflexis, corollis calyce duplo longioribus, ovariis multi-ovulatis. 



This elegant species of Nemophila is readily distinguished by the 

 size of the flowers which are larger even than those of N. phacelioides 

 (figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 2373.) It is a low procum- 

 bent herb, but less straggling than N. parviflora and pedunculata. 

 The leaves are from one to two inches long, green, with a few 

 rigid hairs; the lobes from 3 to 5 on each side, deeply cut, but 

 not reaching the midrib, of nearly equal size on the same leaf, 

 ovate and slightly falcate. The peduncles axillary, solitary, one- 

 flowered, nearly twice as long as the leaves. Flowers blue, above 

 an inch in diameter. The ovarium contains usually 20 or 24 ovula 



