5-plaited, an inch long, thrice longer than the calyx, the
limb of a sky blue, with 5 shallow, angular lobes, the throat
dilated, white exteriorly, pale yellow within, especially
towards the base, the tube dark purple, 5-sided, very short ;
each lobe having 3 straight branched ribs running through
them, which are purple at the base. Stamens 5, unequal,
adherent to the tube. Filaments awl-shaped, white, hairy
at the base. Anthers cordate, mucronulate, yellow, composed
of tw’O somewhat parallel cells, connate, but distinct
at the apex. Ovaria numerous, arranged in a sphærical
mass, compressed, convex, rounded and even at the apex,
inserted into a fleshy torus, surrounded at the base by a
white, fleshy, wavy ring. Style compressed, white, shorter
than the stamens, with a shallow furrow on one side.
Stigma oblique, green, viscid, of two, compressed, shallow,
revolute lobes.
A hardy annual, introduced last year from Peru, but it
is essentially distinct from any of the species flgured and
described in the Flora Peruviana. It comes near to
spathulata and coronata, but the latter is distinguished by
having a woody axis, and by the bearded mouth of its
corolla ; and the former by its upright stem, and oblong
spathulate calycine segments.
The flowers are large and extremely showy, being not
unlike, in form, size, and colour, those of Convolvulus tricolor.
The radical leaves are large, and greatly resemble those of
the garden Spinach.
The plant loves a rich loamy soil, and is increased by
seeds, which it affords in abundance.
Drawn at the Nursery of Messieurs Allen and Rogers at
Battersea.
The generic name is derived from nola, a bell, and alludes
to the bell-shaped corolla. D . Don.
1. Stamens. 2. Pistil.