Acis (plant)

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Acis
Lautumnale 01.jpg
Flower of Acis autumnalis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Acis
Salisb.
Species

See text.

Acis is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae [1] ). The genus consists of nine species distributed in Europe and Northern Africa. Acis was previously included in Leucojum ; both genera are known as snowflakes.

Contents

Description

Acis species are perennial bulbous plants. The flowers have six equally sized tepals, unlike the related genus Galanthus (snowdrops) in which the inner three tepals are shorter than the outer three. The tepals are unmarked, differing in this respect from Leucojum . Most species have white tepals, although those of Acis rosea are pale pink. Acis species are relatively short, up to 15 cm (6 in) in Acis autumnalis and 45 cm (18 in) in Acis tingitana . The leaves are narrow; very narrow (filiform) in Acis trichophylla . The flower stalks (scapes) are solid. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Acis was first differentiated from the genus Leucojum by Richard Anthony Salisbury in The Paradisus Londinensis in 1807. [4] In an earlier part of this work, he had used the name Leucojum autumnale for the plant illustrated in plate 21, but when discussing Leucojum pulchellum, illustrated in plate 74, Salisbury noted the differences between the two species and considered them sufficient to put Leucojum autumnale into a new genus, Acis. [5] (However, he did not actually use the name Acis autumnalis, which was published in 1829 by Robert Sweet. [6] ) Salisbury did not explain the origin of the name Acis beyond describing it as a "poetic title". [5] It may refer to the myth of Acis and Galatea.

Most later botanists did not accept the distinction between Leucojum and Acis. [2] [3] Acis was reinstated in 2004, after it was determined on morphological and molecular grounds that the broadly defined genus Leucojum was paraphyletic, with Acis and a more narrowly defined Leucojum being related as shown the following cladogram. [3]

Galantheae

Acis

Leucojum s.s.

Galanthus

traditional Leucojum

A possible relationship among the species of the genus Acis is shown in the following cladogram. (In the study, Acis ionica was treated as "Acis valentina from Greece"). [3]

Acis fabrei

Acis nicaeensis

Acis valentina

Acis ionica

Acis longifolia

Acis rosea

Acis autumnale

Acis tingitana

Acis trichophylla

Species

As of 25 February 2020, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepted nine species, most formerly placed in Leucojum. [7]

Cultivation

The species Acis autumnalis has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Galanthus</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidacee

Galanthus, or snowdrop, is a small genus of approximately 20 species of bulbous perennial herbaceous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. The plants have two linear leaves and a single small white drooping bell-shaped flower with six petal-like (petaloid) tepals in two circles (whorls). The smaller inner petals have green markings.

<i>Brodiaea</i> Genus of flowering plants

Brodiaea, also known by the common name cluster-lilies, is a monocot genus of flowering plants.

<i>Leucojum</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

Leucojum is a small genus of bulbous plants native to Eurasia belonging to the amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. As currently circumscribed, the genus includes only two known species, most former species having been moved into the genus Acis. Both genera are known as snowflakes.

<i>Galanthus nivalis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae known as snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis, the snowdrop or common snowdrop, is the best-known and most widespread of the 20 species in its genus, Galanthus. Snowdrops are among the first bulbs to bloom in spring and can form impressive carpets of white in areas where they are native or have been naturalised. They should not be confused with the snowflakes, in the genera Leucojum and Acis.

<i>Lycoris</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Lycoris is a genus of 13–20 species of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They are native to eastern and southern Asia in China, Japan, southern Korea, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, northern Thailand, northern Burma, Nepal, northern Pakistan, Afghanistan, and eastern Iran. They were imported into North Carolina and now grow wild. In English they are also called hurricane lilies or cluster amaryllis. The genus shares the English name spider lily with two other related genera.

<i>Ammocharis longifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Ammocharis longifolia is an African species of bulbous flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It has been placed as the only species, Cybistetes longifolia, in the monotypic genus Cybistetes.

<i>Prospero</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Prospero is a genus of bulbous flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. It is distributed in Europe, around the Mediterranean, and through the Middle East to the Caucasus.

<i>The Paradisus Londinensis</i> Book of plant illustrations

The Paradisus Londonensis is a book dated 1805–1808, printed by D.N. Shury, and published by William Hooker. It consists of coloured illustrations of 117 plants drawn by William Hooker, with explanatory text by Richard Anthony Salisbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galantheae</span> Tribe of flowering plants

Galantheae is a tribe of European, West Asian and North African flowering plants belonging to the subfamily Amaryllidoideae of the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). As of 2017, it contains three genera, although more were included previously. The position of the ovary is inferior.

<i>Acis autumnalis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis autumnalis, the autumn snowflake, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. A short bulbous perennial, it is found on the western shores of the Mediterranean, from Portugal, Spain and Morocco to Sicily and Tunisia.

<i>Acis fabrei</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis fabrei is a bulbous flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to France. It has white flowers that appear in late spring after the leaves. Although first collected in 1882, it was not scientifically described until 1990. It is now known from only four populations in the Vaucluse department in south-east France, around Mont Ventoux and the River Nesque. It is considered to be a "threatened species".

<i>Acis ionica</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis ionica is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native from south-western Albania to western Greece. It was initially confused with what is now Acis valentina, a species found in Spain near Valencia.

<i>Acis longifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis longifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, endemic to Corsica. Its white flowers appear in spring. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant, but is not fully frost-hardy.

<i>Acis nicaeensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis nicaeensis, sometimes called the French snowflake, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to south-eastern France. A small spring flowering bulb with white flowers, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant.

<i>Acis tingitana</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis tingitana is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to north Morocco. Rare in cultivation, it is not fully frost-hardy.

<i>Acis trichophylla</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis trichophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. It has very narrow leaves. The flowers are produced in late winter or early spring and are usually white, but sometimes pink-tinged or all pink. The species is cultivated as an ornamental bulb, but requires protection from hard frost.

<i>Acis valentina</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis valentina is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to eastern Spain. Its white flowers appear in autumn. It can be grown as an ornamental bulb, but may need protection from hard frost.

<i>Acis rosea</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Acis rosea, known as the rose snowflake, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Corsica and Sardinia. Unlike most members of the genus Acis, it has pink rather than white flowers. It is grown as an ornamental plant but requires protection from frost.

Austronea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, found in Namibia and South Africa. It is sister to Fusifilum.

References

  1. Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards), "Asparagales: Amaryllidoideae", Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, retrieved 2014-02-25
  2. 1 2 Mathew, Brian (1987), The Smaller Bulbs, London: B.T. Batsford, ISBN   978-0-7134-4922-8 , pp. 119–121
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lledó, Ma D.; Davis, A.P.; Crespo, M.B.; Chase, M.W.; Fay, M.F. (2004), "Phylogenetic analysis of Leucojum and Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) based on plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal spacer (ITS) DNA sequences and morphology", Plant Systematics and Evolution, 246 (3–4): 223–243, doi:10.1007/s00606-004-0152-0, S2CID   43826738 , retrieved 2017-12-04
  4. "IPNI Plant Name Query Results for Acis", The International Plant Names Index , retrieved 2014-11-12
  5. 1 2 Salisbury, R.A. & Hooker, W. (1805–1808), The Paradisus Londonensis : or Coloured Figures of Plants Cultivated in the Vicinity of the Metropolis, London: W. Hooker (printer D.N. Shury), t. 74, doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.53520 , OCLC   1864969
  6. "IPNI Plant Name Query Results for Acis autumnalis", The International Plant Names Index , retrieved 2014-11-12
  7. "Search for Acis", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families , Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2020-02-25
  8. "Acis autumnalis", RHS Plant Selector, retrieved 2014-11-12