Muscari neglectum

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Grape hyacinth
Muscari neglectum (flowers).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Muscari
Species:
M. neglectum
Binomial name
Muscari neglectum
Guss. ex Ten.
Synonyms
  • Muscari racemosum var. neglectum(Guss. ex Ten.) St.-Lag.
  • Hyacinthus neglectus(Guss. ex Ten.) E.H.L.Krause

Muscari neglectum is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family Asparagaceae. Members of this genus are commonly known as grape hyacinths, and M. neglectum is known as common grape hyacinth [1] or starch grape hyacinth. [2] Muscari are perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia. They produce spikes of dense, commonly blue, urn-shaped flowers. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant, for example, in temperate climates as a spring bulb.

Contents

Description

Muscari neglectum is a herbaceous plant growing from a bulb. The flower stems are 5–20 cm tall. The flowers are arranged in a spike or raceme and are dark blue with white lobes at their tips (teeth); there may be a cluster of paler sterile flowers at the top of the spike. [3] The raceme is 2–6 cm long. The fruit is a 3-celled capsule with two ovules in each cell. [4]

It is a very well known species in cultivation (being described as the "common" grape hyacinth by Brian Mathew); [3] it increases rapidly and can become invasive.

Taxonomy

The name was attributed to Giovanni Gussone by Michele Tenore in a list of plants of the Neapolitan area published in 1842. The species has a confused nomenclatural history; no fewer than 46 full species names are listed as synonyms in the Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. [5] The name M. racemosum is commonly found as a synonym for M. neglectum in the horticultural literature, [6] although the true M. racemosum Mill. is a different species. [7]

Related Research Articles

Hyacinth (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae

Hyacinthus is a small genus of bulbous, spring-blooming perennials. They are fragrant flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae and are commonly called hyacinths. The genus is native to the area of the eastern Mediterranean from the south of Turkey through, although naturalized more widely.

<i>Muscari</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of dense, most commonly blue, urn-shaped flowers resembling bunches of grapes in the spring. The common name for the genus is grape hyacinth, but they should not be confused with hyacinths. A number of species of Muscari are used as ornamental garden plants.

<i>Muscari racemosum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari racemosum is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family Asparagaceae. The members of the genus are commonly known as grape hyacinths. Originally from south-west Turkey where it grows in rocky places, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant. It may be found in the horticultural literature under the synonym Muscari muscarimi.

<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>Muscari botryoides</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari botryoides is a bulbous perennial plant of the genus Muscari and one of a number of species and genera known as grape hyacinth. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant.

<i>Muscari armeniacum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari armeniacum is a species of flowering plant in the squill subfamily Scilloideae of the asparagus family Asparagaceae. It is a bulbous perennial with basal, simple leaves and short flowering stems. It is one of a number of species and genera known as grape hyacinth, in this case Armenian grape hyacinth or garden grape-hyacinth. The flowers are purple, blue, white or pale pink and the plants are usually 15 centimetres (6 in) tall. M. armeniacum blooms in mid-Spring for 3–4 weeks. Some selections are fragrant. Established bulbs leaf in the autumn. M. armeniacum is widespread in the woods and meadows of the Eastern Mediterranean, from Greece and Turkey to the Caucasus, including Armenia which gives it its name.

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

Eucomis autumnalis, the autumn pineapple flower, or autumn pineapple lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to Malawi, Zimbabwe and southern Africa. It is a mid to late summer flowering deciduous bulbous perennial. The flower stem reaches about 40 cm (16 in), rising from a basal rosette of wavy-edged leaves. The green, yellow or white flowers are arranged in a spike (raceme), topped by a "head" of green leaflike bracts. It is grown as an ornamental garden plant and can also be used as a cut flower.

<i>Scilla sardensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Scilla sardensis, the lesser glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial from west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. 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>Scilla nana</i> Species of flowering plant

Scilla nana, known as dwarf glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial from Crete flowering in early spring with flowers in shades of lilac blue. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. 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. It has not always been recognized as distinct from Scilla cretica.

Scilla lochiae, known as Loch's glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial from Cyprus flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It was named after Lady Loch who collected it. It belongs to a group of Scilla species that were formerly put in a separate genus, Chionodoxa, which may now be treated as Scilla sect. Chionodoxa.

Zephyranthes insularum, common name rainlily, is a bulbous flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to Cuba and reportedly naturalized in Florida and in parts of Mexico.

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

Leopoldia is a genus of bulbous perennial plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is widespread around the Mediterranean region and neighboring lands, from the Canary Islands to Iran.

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

Pseudomuscari is a genus of bulbous perennials in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. They were formerly included in the genus Muscari. Species of Pseudomuscari have flowers in shades of pale or bright blue, and are small plants with dense flower spikes or racemes. A feature which distinguishes them from Muscari is the bell-shaped flower which is not constricted at the mouth. One species, P. azureum, is popularly grown in gardens as an ornamental Spring-flowering plant.

<i>Muscari macrocarpum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari macrocarpum is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family Asparagaceae. It is one of a number of species known as Grape Hyacinth, in this case Yellow Grape Hyacinth. Originally from eastern Crete, Amorgos and south-west Turkey, where it grows in rocky places, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant.

<i>Leopoldia comosa</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Leopoldia comosa is a perennial bulbous plant. Usually called the tassel hyacinth or tassel grape hyacinth, it is one of a number of species and genera also known as grape hyacinths. It is found in rocky ground and cultivated areas, such as cornfields and vineyards in the Mediterranean region, but has naturalized elsewhere. In southern Italy and Greece, its bulb is a culinary delicacy.

<i>Muscari aucheri</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari aucheri, Aucher-Éloy grape hyacinth, is a species of flowering plant in the squill subfamily Scilloideae of the asparagus family Asparagaceae. It is a perennial bulbous plant, one of a number of species and genera known as grape hyacinths. Originally from Turkey, where it grows in grassy alpine areas, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant. The synonym M. tubergenianum may be found in the horticultural literature.

<i>Pseudomuscari azureum</i> Species of flowering plant

Pseudomuscari azureum, the azure grape hyacinth, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Turkey. A bulbous perennial, it is grown in gardens for its spring flowers. The Latin specific epithet azureum means "bright blue", a reference to its flower colour.

<i>Scilla litardierei</i> Species of flowering plant

Scilla litardierei, the amethyst meadow squill or Dalmatian scilla, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. A bulbous perennial, it is grown for its blue grape-hyacinth like flowers, blooming in late spring, much later than the more popular Siberian squill and later than Muscari which it resembles. Originating in the western Balkans, it was introduced to Britain in 1827. It has become much more easily available since 2004.

<i>Muscari latifolium</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae

Muscari latifolium, the broad-leaved grape hyacinth, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. The Latin specific epithet latifolium means "broad-leaved".

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

Hyacinthella is a genus of bulbous flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. It is native to eastern and south-eastern Europe through to northern Iran, reaching as far south as Palestine. Turkey is the main country in which species are found.

References

  1. 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. 114
  2. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Muscari neglectum". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 Mathew, Brian (1987), The Smaller Bulbs, London: B.T. Batsford, ISBN   978-0-7134-4922-8 , p. 127
  4. Cullen, James; Knees, Sabina G.; Cubey, H. Suzanne (2011). The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass. The Cambridge University Press. p. 124. ISBN   978-0521761475.
  5. WCSP (2011), World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2011-11-14, search for "Muscari neglectum"
  6. See, e.g., Mathew 1987 , p. 127
  7. WCSP (2011), World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2011-11-14, search for "Muscari racemosum"