Nigella damascena

Detailed description

Stem (50-)200-800 mm tall, bright green when fresh, terete, glabrous, branching in upper third to one half. Segments of rosette leaves linear, those of cauline leaves filiform. Involucre present, of 5 finely dissected leaves, twice as broad as the flower. Flowers 20-30 mm diameter. Sepals in several whorls, blue, white or pink, ovate, acute, clawed, the innermost sometimes 3-fid. Petals usually 0. Styles 5. Capsule glabrous, ovoid, swollen, 15-30 × 10-20 mm, 10-locular but only 5 locules fertile; styles 15-25 mm long at fruiting. Seeds black, c.2 mm long, transversely ridged.