[Illustration: BABY BLUE-EYES PURPLE PHACELIA]
Flowers usually in curled clusters; calyx deeply 5-lobed; petals united,
usually 5; stamens 5, on corolla-tube; ovary superior; styles 2.
Baby Blue-Eyes. Flannel Breeches (_Nemophila phacelioides_) forms a
lovely carpet on banks and in moist woods near the prairie regions of
Texas and Arkansas. The dainty flowers are about one inch broad, with 5
broadly-spreading lobes of lavender, paler at the base. The leaves are
divided into 5-9 broad segments which are irregularly toothed. It is not
known in cultivation, but a similar plant from California is used to
cover beds in which bulbs are planted.
Purple Phacelia (_Phacelia patuliflora_) is a low, spreading annual
growing on sandy prairies in the southern part of the state.
“Patuliflora” means “spreading flower” and refers to the royal purple
corollas which are widely spreading and nearly an inch broad. It is the
handsomest phacelia among the fifteen or more species found in the
state. It blooms from February to May.
Blue nama (_Nama ovatum_) is a water-leaf growing in ponds and streams
of East Texas and blooming in the summer. It has lovely sky-blue flowers
nearly an inch broad and spiny stems. Sand bells (_Nama hispidum_) has
small, reddish-purple, bell-shaped corollas.
[Illustration: BLUE CURLS]
Blue Curls. Fiddle-Neck (_Phacelia congesta_) is also known as
spider-flower, caterpillars, snail-flower, and wild heliotrope. It has
curled flower clusters and lavender-blue flowers very much like those of
some of the heliotropes and borages. A California borage is also called
fiddle-neck. The flowers are tubular at the base with 5 broadly
spreading lobes. The 5 spreading stamens extending from the flowers are
responsible for the name of “spider-flower.”
The erect, unbranched stems may be seen on gravelly limestone slopes or
in open woods from Central to Southwestern Texas. The large, thin leaves
are finely divided and clothed with soft hairs. In woods the plants may
grow 1½-2 ft. high, but on rocky slopes they are seldom more than a foot
high. The flowers bloom in April and May, a long blooming season
resulting from the numerous flowers which open as the curling stems
unfold. It is an annual plant which does well in cultivation and makes a
lovely addition to the flower garden.
Nearly a hundred phacelias are found in Western North America. The name
is from the Greek meaning “cluster.” Most of them are showy plants, but
few are known in cultivation.