Leucojum vernum

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Leucojum vernum
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Leucojum
Species:
L. vernum
Binomial name
Leucojum vernum
Synonyms [1]
  • Galanthus vernus(L.) All.
  • Nivaria verna(L.) Moench
  • Erinosma verna(L.) Herb.

Leucojum vernum, called the spring snowflake, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. [1] 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. [3] 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.

Contents

The Latin specific epithet vernum means "relating to Spring". [4] Its close relative, Leucojum aestivum , flowers in summer.

Description

Leucojum vernum is 12–35 cm (4.7–13.8 in) tall in flower. Its leaves, which appear at the same time as the flowers and continue to elongate during flowering, are 5–25 mm wide and 10–25 cm (3.9–9.8 in) long, generally reaching to below the level of the flowers. The flowering stem (scape) has a small central cavity and two narrow wings. The pendent flowers appear in spring and are usually solitary, rarely in an umbel of two. The flowers have six white tepals, each with a greenish or yellowish mark just below the tip. Each tepal is 15–25 mm long. The whitish seeds are about 7 mm long. [2] [5] [6]

Taxonomy

Leucojum vernum was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. [1] [7] The epithet vernum means "of the spring". [8]

Varieties

Two varieties are accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: [9]

A third variety is recognized by some sources, but not by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: [10]

Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum is distinguished by the presence of yellow rather than greenish markings at the tip of each tepal. [2] Sources that distinguish var. vagneri from var. vernum describe it as more vigorous and flowering earlier, with two flowers per scape. It comes true from seed as it does not cross with var. vernum. [2] [11]

Distribution and habitat

Leucojum vernum is native to central Europe and parts of southern and western Europe, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Romania, former Yugoslavia and Ukraine. It has become naturalized in other parts of Europe, including Great Britain, the Netherlands and parts of Scandinavia, and in Georgia and Florida in the United States. [1] [2] It is found in damp and shady habitats, including woods, up to elevations of 1600 m. [2]

Cultivation

Leucojum vernum is cultivated as an ornamental plant for its white flowers in spring. It is described as "easy to grow", either in sun or partial shade, particularly in moist soil and in grass. [5] The species has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [3]

Cultivars

Many cultivars are available, including: [11]

Toxicity

All species of Leucojum are poisonous, as the leaves and bulbs contain the toxic alkaloids lycorine and galantamine. [12] Galantamine is used for the treatment of cognitive decline in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and various other memory impairments. [13] [14]

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daylily</span> Genus of flowering plants

A daylily or day lily is a flowering plant in the genus Hemerocallis, a member of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, native to Asia. Despite the common name, it is not in fact a lily. Gardening enthusiasts and horticulturists have long bred daylily species for their attractive flowers. Thousands of cultivars have been registered by local and international Hemerocallis societies. Daylilies are perennial plants, whose name alludes to its flowers, which typically last about a day.

<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>Lilium bulbiferum</i> Species of lily

Lilium bulbiferum, common names orange lily, fire lily,Jimmy's Bane,tiger lily and St. John's Lily, is a herbaceous European lily with underground bulbs, belonging to the Liliaceae.

<i>Allium vineale</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium vineale is a perennial, bulb-forming species of wild onion, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and the Middle East. The species was introduced in Australia and North America, where it has become a noxious weed.

<i>Allium canadense</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium canadense, the Canada onion, Canadian garlic, wild garlic, meadow garlic and wild onion is a perennial plant native to eastern North America from Texas to Florida to New Brunswick to Montana. The species is also cultivated in other regions as an ornamental and as a garden culinary herb. The plant is also reportedly naturalized in Cuba.

<i>Erythronium albidum</i> Species of flowering plant

Erythronium albidum, the white fawnlily or white trout lily, is a small herbaceous geophyte in the lily family. It is also known as adder's tongue, whitedog's-tooth violet, serpent's tongue, trout lily, deer tongue, and yellow snowdrop. Large numbers of this plant indicate that the woodland has never been subjected to heavy machinery, where it would be unable to grow due to soil compaction.

<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>Scilla luciliae</i> Species of plant in the family Asparagaceae

Scilla luciliae is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is referred to by the common names Bossier's glory-of-the-snow or Lucile's glory-of-the-snow, and is a bulbous perennial from western Turkey that flowers in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. The specific epithet is in honour of Lucile, the wife of the Swiss botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier (1810-1885). It belongs to a group of Scilla species that were formerly put in a separate genus, Chionodoxa, and may now be treated as Scilla sect. Chionodoxa.

<i>Ismene amancaes</i> Species of plant

Ismene amancaes, commonly called amancae or amancay, is a herbaceous plant species in the family Amaryllidaceae and native to the coastal hills of Peru.

<i>Crinum asiaticum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Crinum asiaticum, commonly known as poison bulb, giant crinum lily, grand crinum lily, or spider lily, is a plant species widely planted in many warmer regions as an ornamental. It is a bulb-forming perennial producing an umbel of large, showy flowers that are prized by gardeners. However, all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Some reports indicate exposure to the sap may cause skin irritation.

<i>Lycoris radiata</i> Species of plant

Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily, red magic lily, corpse flower, or equinox flower, is a plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Originally from China, Japan, Korea and Nepal and from there to the United States and elsewhere. It is considered naturalized in Seychelles and in the Ryukyu Islands. It flowers in the late summer or autumn, often in response to heavy rainfall. The common name hurricane lily refers to this characteristic, as do other common names, such as resurrection lily; these may be used for the genus as a whole.

<i>Lilium concolor</i> Species of lily

Lilium concolor is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which occurs naturally in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. Its relationship with other species is not clear, although it has some similarities to Lilium pumilum.

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

Leucojum aestivum, commonly called summer snowflake or Loddon lily, 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>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 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 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Leucojum vernum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Grey-Wilson, Christopher; Mathew, Brian & Blamey, Marjorie (1981). Bulbs : the bulbous plants of Europe and their allies. London: Collins. p. 136. ISBN   978-0-00-219211-8.
  3. 1 2 "RHS Plant Selector - Leucojum vernum" . Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  4. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN   978-1845337315.
  5. 1 2 Mathew, Brian (1987). The Smaller Bulbs. London: B.T. Batsford. p. 121. ISBN   978-0-7134-4922-8.
  6. Webb, D.A. (1980). "Leucojum vernum". 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. 77. ISBN   978-0-521-06662-4.
  7. Linnaeus, Carl (1753). "Leucojum". Species Plantarum. Vol. I. p. 289. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  8. Hyam, R. & Pankhurst, R.J. (1995). Plants and their names : a concise dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 518. ISBN   978-0-19-866189-4.
  9. "Search for Leucojum vernum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  10. "''Leucojum vernum var. vagneri Stapf". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  11. 1 2 Boens, Wim (March 2017). "An overview of Leucojum". The Plantsman. New Series. 16 (1): 20–25.
  12. Straley, Gerald B. & Utech, Frederick H. "Leucojum aestivum". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America (online). eFloras.org. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
  13. "Galantamine". Drugs.com. 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
  14. Birks, J. (2006). Birks, Jacqueline S (ed.). "Cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016 (1): CD005593. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005593. PMC   9006343 . PMID   16437532.