Acis trichophylla

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Acis trichophylla
Leucojum trichophyllum 1 cropped.jpg
Growing in Cádiz, Spain
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Acis
Species:
A. trichophylla
Binomial name
Acis trichophylla
Sweet ex G.Don [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Leucojum trichophyllumBrot., nom. illeg.
  • Acis broteroiJord. & Fourr.
  • Leucojum trichophyllumSchousb.
  • Leucojum grandiflorumRedouté, nom. superfl.
  • Acis grandifloraG.Don, nom. superfl.

Acis trichophylla, commonly called the triangular-leaved snowflake, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. [1] 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.

Contents

Description

Acis trichophylla is a bulbous perennial, growing up to 30 cm tall, although usually shorter. There are generally three very narrow leaves per bulb, appearing before the flowers, each leaf being up to 18 cm long but only at most 1 mm wide. Flowering is in late winter or early spring. The flowers are white, sometimes with pink tinges or occasionally all pink, and are arranged in groups of two to four on a stem (scape) that is about as long as or longer than the leaves. Each flower is borne on a long stalk (pedicel), up to 45 or 60 mm long, and has six tepals, 12–20 mm long, with sharp tips, that open widely to form a bell shape. The two spathes are shorter than the pedicels. The style is slightly longer than the stamens. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy

The nomenclature of Acis trichophylla is somewhat complex. The epithet trichophyllum was first published, in the combination Leucojum trichophyllum, by Peter Schousboe in 1800. [7] [8] The combination was used again as a supposedly new name by Félix Brotero in 1804, [9] but as it had already been published in 1800, Leucojum trichophyllumBrot. is an illegitimate later homonym. [1] In 1829, Robert Sweet suggested that Leucojum trichophyllum belonged in Acis, but did not explicitly use the combination Acis trichophylla nor make clear whose Leucojum name he meant. [10] The combination Acis trichophylla was first used in 1830 by George Don, referring to Sweet (he actually used the masculine form trichophyllus). [11]

Although William Herbert in 1837 also placed the species in Acis, [12] most later botanists used the genus Leucojum , treating it as L. trichophyllumSchousb. [3] [4] [5] In 2004, it was restored to Acis, along with other species of Leucojum, on the basis of a molecular phylogenetic study. [13]

A number of infraspecies have been described, none of which are recognized by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as of December 2017. [1] Forms with pinkish flowers have been called f. broteri and f. purpurascens, those with larger flowers var. grandiflorum. [4]

Distribution and habitat

Acis trichophylla is found in central and southern Portugal, south central and south-western Spain and across the Mediterranean in Morocco. [1] It is found in dry sandy ground. [3]

Cultivation

Acis trichophylla is cultivated as an ornamental bulb. It requires protection from frost, and warm dry conditions for a long time in summer, hence growing in an alpine house or bulb frame is recommended. Unless planted deeply, around 15 cm, it tends to divide into small non-flowering bulbs. [4]

Related Research Articles

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<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.

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<i>Melaleuca trichophylla</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Acis</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

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

<i>Eucomis bicolor</i> Species of flowering plant

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

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<i>Scadoxus membranaceus</i> Species of plant

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<i>Allium carinatum</i> Species of flowering plants

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<i>Leucojum aestivum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Leucojum aestivum, commonly called the summer snowflake, giant snowflake, Loddon lily and rarely snowbell and dewdrop among others, is a plant species widely cultivated as an ornamental. It is native to most of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Ukraine, with the exception of Scandinavia, Russia, Belarus and the Baltic countries. It is also considered native to Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus. It is naturalized in Denmark, South Australia, New South Wales, Nova Scotia and much of the eastern United States.

<i>Leucojum vernum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Leucojum vernum, commonly called the spring snowflake, St. Agnes' flower, and rarely snowbell among others, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to central and southern Europe from Belgium to Ukraine. It is considered naturalized in north-western Europe, including Great Britain and parts of Scandinavia, and in the US states of Georgia and Florida. This spring flowering bulbous herbaceous perennial is cultivated as an ornamental for a sunny position. The plant multiplies in favourable conditions to form clumps. Each plant bears a single white flower with greenish marks near the tip of the tepal, on a stem about 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) tall, occasionally more.

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

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<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, commonly called the winter snowflake, Mentone snowflake and 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 northern Morocco. Rare in cultivation, it is not fully frost-hardy.

<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.

<i>Nerine undulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Nerine undulata syn. N. crispa is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Amaryllidoideae of the family Amaryllidaceae, that is native to the eastern Cape of South Africa. Growing to 45 cm (18 in) tall, it is a bulbous perennial with narrow grasslike leaves that are almost evergreen, and umbels of 8-12 slender, crinkled pale pink or mid-pink flowers 5 cm across in autumn.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Acis trichophylla", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families , Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2017-12-01
  2. ↑ Elizabeth Lawrence. The Little Bulbs: A Tale of Two Gardens. Duke University Press, 1986. [1st pub. Criterion, 1954] p. 36. ISBN   9780822307396
  3. 1 2 3 Grey-Wilson, Christopher; Mathew, Brian & Blamey, Marjorie (1981), Bulbs : the bulbous plants of Europe and their allies, London: Collins, ISBN   978-0-00-219211-8 , p. 136 (as Leucoium longifolium)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Mathew, Brian (1987), The Smaller Bulbs, London: B.T. Batsford, ISBN   978-0-7134-4922-8 , p. 120 (as Leucojum longifolium)
  5. 1 2 Webb, D.A. (1980), "Leucojum", in Tutin, T.G.; Heywood, V.H.; Burges, N.A.; Valentine, D.H.; Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (eds.), Flora Europaea, Volume 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae, Cambridge University Press, p. 76, ISBN   978-0-521-06662-4
  6. ↑ Aedo, C. (2013), "L. trichophyllum Schousb., Iagttag. Vextrig." (PDF), in Castroviejo, S.; Aedo, C.; Laínz, M.; Muñoz Garmendia, F.; Nieto Feliner, G.; Paiva, J. & Benedí, C (eds.), Flora Iberica 20, Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, pp. 332–333, retrieved 2017-12-12
  7. ↑ "Plant Name Details for Leucojum trichophyllum Schousb.", The International Plant Names Index , retrieved 2017-12-11
  8. ↑ Schousboe, P.K.A. (1800), "Leucoium trichophyllum", Jagttagelser over vestriget i Marokko (in Danish and Latin), Copenhagen, p. 154, hdl: 2027/nyp.33433010726051 , OCLC   313054032
  9. ↑ Brotero, Felix Avelar (1804), "Leucoium trichophyllum", Flora Lusitanica, vol. 1, Olissipone: Ex Typographia Regia, p. 552, retrieved 2017-12-11
  10. ↑ Sweet, Robert (1829), "Acis rosea", The British Flower Garden, volume 3, London: W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, t. 297
  11. ↑ Don, G. (1830), "Acis Sal.", in Loudon, J.C. (ed.), Loudon's Hortus Britannicus, London: Longman, etc., p. 475, retrieved 2017-12-09
  12. ↑ Herbert, William (1837), "Acis trichophylla", Amaryllidaceae, Piccadilly: Ridgway, p. 331, retrieved 2017-12-11
  13. ↑ 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
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