Scilla nana

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Scilla nana
Sabine Beckmann Scilla nana near Katharo E pass 4 05.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Scilla
Section: Scilla sect. Chionodoxa
Species:
S. nana
Binomial name
Scilla nana
(Schult. & Schult.f.) Speta [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Chionodoxa albescens(Speta) Rix
  • Chionodoxa creticaJaub. & Spach, nom. illeg.
  • Chionodoxa nana(Schult. & Schult.f.) Boiss. & Heldr.
  • Hyacinthus nanusSchult. & Schult.f
  • Puschkinia scilloidesSieber, nom. illeg.
  • Scilla albescensSpeta
  • Scilla nana subsp. albescens(Speta) Speta

Scilla nana, known as dwarf glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant endemic to Crete. It flowers 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 .

Contents

Description

Like all members of Scilla sect. Chionodoxa, the bases of the stamens of Scilla nana are flattened and closely clustered in the middle of the flower. In other species of Scilla, the stamens are not flattened or clustered together. [2]

S. nana (like S. cretica ) has two leaves per bulb, and at most one flowering stem, with one to five (more commonly three) flowers in a loose raceme. Individual flowers are up to 2.4 cm diameter with tepals up to 1.1 cm long, most facing upwards, the overall colour effect being some shade of lilac-blue. [3] Sfikas distinguishes between smaller plants with whitish flowers occurring above 1700 m, S. nana, and larger plants with bluer flowers occurring below 1700 m, S. cretica . [4]

S. nana subsp. albescens (synonym S. albescens) is recognized by some sources, although not by others. It has slightly smaller flowers (tepals up to 1 cm long), whitish with lavender to violet-blue tips. [5] It was awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (H4 – hardy outdoors anywhere in the British Isles) in 2004, subject to availability. [6]

Taxonomy

Scilla nana was first described in 1829, as Hyacinthus nana, by Josef August Schultes and Julius Hermann Schultes. It was transferred to Chionodoxa in 1854. [1] Chionodoxa was separated from Scilla partly on the basis of the flattened stamen bases. [7] Phylogenetic studies showed that Chionodoxa was nested within Scilla. Former Chionodoxa species may now be treated as Scilla sect. Chionodoxa. [8]

Plants occurring in Crete have at one time or another been put into one of three species (in either Scilla or Chionodoxa): S. albescensSpeta, S. cretica(Boiss. & Heldr.) Speta and S. nana(Schult. & Schult.f.) Speta. Sfikas' Wild flowers of Crete recognized only two of these (in Chionodoxa as C. cretica and C. nana); [4] the Natural History Museum's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognized only one (S. nana). [9] As of March 2020, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepts both S. nana and S. cretica. [10] [1]

Distribution and habitat

Scilla nana is endemic to Crete, where it occurs at elevations of 1700–2300 m. [1]

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Scilla nana", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2020-03-17
  2. Mathew (1987), p. 25
  3. Mathew (2005), p. 120
  4. 1 2 Sfikas (1987), p. 268
  5. Mathew (2005), p. 119.
  6. Dashwood & Mathew (2005)
  7. Dashwood & Mathew (2005), p. 5
  8. Yildirim et al. (2017)
  9. Turland et al. (1993), p. 185
  10. "Scilla cretica", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2020-03-17

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

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

Scilla is a genus of about 30 to 80 species of bulb-forming perennial herbaceous plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Sometimes called the squills in English, they are native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. A few species are also naturalized in Australasia and North America. Their flowers are usually blue, but white, pink, and purple types are known; most flower in early spring, but a few are autumn-flowering. Several Scilla species are valued as ornamental garden plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scilloideae</span> Subfamily of bulbous monocot plants

Scilloideae is a subfamily of bulbous plants within the family Asparagaceae. Scilloideae is sometimes treated as a separate family Hyacinthaceae, named after the genus Hyacinthus. Scilloideae or Hyacinthaceae include many familiar garden plants such as Hyacinthus (hyacinths), Hyacinthoides (bluebells), Muscari and Scilla and Puschkinia. Some are important as cut flowers.

<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>Puschkinia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Puschkinia is a genus of four known species of bulbous perennials in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. It is native to the Caucasus and the Middle East. Puschkinia scilloides is grown as an ornamental bulbous plant.

<i>Scilla <span style="font-style:normal;">sect.</span> Chionodoxa</i> Section of plants in the genus Scilla

Scilla section Chionodoxa, known as glory-of-the-snow, is a small group of bulbous perennial flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Formerly treated as the separate genus Chionodoxa, they are now included in Scilla as a section. The section is endemic to the eastern Mediterranean, specifically Crete, Cyprus and Turkey. The blue, white or pink flowers appear early in the year making them valuable garden ornamentals. The common name of the group is based on the habit of flowering in high alpine zones when the snow melts in spring.

<i>Scilla forbesii</i> Species of plant

Scilla forbesii, known as Forbes' glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial plant from west Turkey flowering in early spring. It is considered synonymous with Scilla siehei, known as Siehe's glory-of-the-snow, by some sources, although others distinguish them. 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. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It seeds readily to form colonies.

<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.

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.

Scilla × allenii is a hybrid between two species of flowering plants, both of which are now placed in the genus Scilla. One of the parents is Scilla bifolia. As of March 2020, sources differ as to the identity of the other, which may be either Scilla forbesii or Scilla luciliae.

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

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

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

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

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Scilla cretica is a species of flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family. It is referred to by the common name Cretan glory-of-the-snow, and is a bulbous perennial native to Crete, flowering in early 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 nana.