Scilla (; Squill) is a genus of about 50 to 80 bulb-forming perennial herbs in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. A few species are also naturalized in Australia, New Zealand 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.
Video Scilla
Systematics
Scilla has most recently been classified as belonging to the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae; the subfamily was formerly treated as a separate family, Hyacinthaceae. Prior to that it was placed in the Hyacintheae tribe of the Liliaceae family.
The precise number of Scilla species in the genus depends on which proposals to split the genus are accepted. For a discussion of the relationship of Scilla to the closely related genus, Chionodoxa, see that page. Other proposals separate particularly the Eurasian species into a number of smaller genera such as Othocallis Salisb., e.g. Scilla siberica would become Othocallis siberica.
Several African species previously classified in Scilla have been removed to the genus Ledebouria. The best known of these is the common houseplant still sometimes known as Scilla violacea but now properly Ledebouria socialis.
Species
As of May 2018, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepts 86 species:
Formerly included
- Scilla autumnalis - Autumn squill: see Prospero autumnale
- Scilla maritima - Sea squill: see Drimia maritima
- Scilla nutans - Common bluebell: see Hyacinthoides non-scripta
- Scilla siehei - Glory-of-the-snow: see Chionodoxa siehei
Scilla peruviana
Scilla peruviana is of interest for its name; it is a native of southwest Europe, not of Peru. When Carl Linnaeus described the species in 1753, he was given specimens imported from Spain aboard a ship named Peru, and was misled into thinking the specimens had come from that country. The rules of botanical naming do not allow a scientific name to be changed merely because it is potentially confusing.
Maps Scilla
Cultivation and uses
Many species, notably S. siberica, are grown in gardens for their attractive early spring flowers.
References
External links
- Elizabeth Lawrence. The little bulbs: a tale of two gardens. Duke University Press, 1986 ISBN 0-8223-0739-1 ISBN 978-0-8223-0739-6
- Plantzafrica.com
- ZipCodeZoo
Source of article : Wikipedia
0 Comments