VENUS'S LOOKING GLASS

(Legousia, or Specularia, speculum-veneris), species of annual herb of the bellflower family (Campanulaceae), native to sandy, sunny parts of the Mediterranean region. It is grown as a garden ornamental for its blue, violet, or white, wide-open, bell-shaped flowers. The long calyx (collection of fused sepals) resembles a mirror handle and is the source of the plant's common name. The basal leaves are egg-shaped, while the stem leaves are narrow. The plant reaches a height of about 22 cm (9 inches).