Nigella

Herbs, annual, from taproots. Leaves basal and cauline, petiolate or distal leaves sessile; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade 2-3-pinnately dissected, segments linear, threadlike [ovate or oblong or sometimes undivided, short], margins entire. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, flowers solitary; involucres present [absent], involucral bracts 5-6, finely pinnately dissected, closely subtending flower. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric; sepals persistent in fruit, 5-25, blue to white or pink [yellowish white or green], plane, ovate, clawed [not clawed], 8-25 mm, apex acuminate; petals (0-)5-10, distinct, lead-colored, hooded, obovate, 2-labiate, 2-5 mm; nectary apical; stamens 15-75; filaments filiform; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistil compound [carpels connate proximally], [2-]5-10-carpellate; ovules 25-100; style present. Fruits capsular [partially connate follicles], sessile, inflated-spheric [not inflated], sides not prominently veined; beak terminal, straight, 13-20 mm. Seeds black, broadly obovate, reticulate, with raised ridges. x=6.

Distribution

North America, s Europe, sw, c Asia, n Africa.

Discussion

Species ca. 20 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

Mitchell, R. S. and J. K. Dean. 1982. Ranunculaceae (Crowfoot Family) of New York State. Bull. New York State Mus. Sci. Serv. 446.

Zohary, M. 1983. The genus Nigella (Ranunculaceae)--A taxonomic revision. Pl. Syst. Evol. 142: 71-107.

Lower Taxa

Nigella damascena