Nigella damascena

Love-in-a-mist ??
The particular name of this plant, love-in-a-mist, derives from the presence in the flowers of numerous stamens and feathery bracts. It belongs to the Ranuncolaceae family.
It is a small, attractive plant with beautiful pale blue flowers that bloom solitary. The flowers have 5 colored sepals ?, while the petals are small and numerous stamens and pistils protrude from the center of the corolla.
Even if the structure of the flower is complex, bees ? manage to reach the nectar by moving in a circle around the center of the flower.
In summer, capsule-shaped fruits are formed which swell when ripe. They contain small dark seeds with a slight spicy aroma.
⁉️ Did you know? ?
The name of the plant derives from the Latin “nigella”, diminutive of “nigra”, due to the black color of the seeds, while “damascena” derives from the city of Damascus in Syria which could indicate its origin.
Photo Rachel Leslie da Pixabay