Scilla cretica

Scilla cretica, known as the Cretan glory-of-the-snow, 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.[2] It has not always been recognized as distinct from Scilla nana.

Scilla cretica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Scilla
Section: Scilla sect. Chionodoxa
Species:
S. cretica
Binomial name
Scilla cretica
(Boiss. & Heldr.) Speta[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Chionodoxa cretica Boiss. & Heldr., non Jaub. & Spach, nom. illeg.
  • Hyacinthus creticus (Boiss. & Heldr.) Nyman

Description

Like all members of the former genus Chionodoxa, the bases of the stamens are flattened and closely clustered in the middle of the flower. In other species of Scilla, the stamens are not flattened or clustered together.[3]

Taxonomy

The number of related species recognized as occurring in Crete has varied. In 1987, Sfikas' Wild flowers of Crete recognized two (then placed in Chionodoxa), C. cretica and C. nana.[4] In 1993, the Natural History Museum's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognized only Scilla nana.[5] As of March 2020, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepted both S. cretica and S. nana.[1][6] Sfikas regards S. cretica as being larger, with bluer flowers, occurring below 1700 m and S. nana as smaller, with whitish flowers, occurring above 1700 m.[4]

Distribution and habitat

Scilla cretica is native to Crete where it is found at elevations of 1300-1700 m.[1]

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

Bibliography
  • Mathew, Brian (1987), The Smaller Bulbs, London: B T Batsford, ISBN 978-0-7134-4922-8
  • Mathew, Brian (2005), "Hardy Hyacinthaceae, Part 2: Scilla, Chionodoxa, xChionoscilla", The Plantsman (New Series), 4 (2): 110–21
  • Sfikas, George (1987), Wild Flowers of Crete, Athens: Efstathiadis, ISBN 978-960-226-052-4
  • Turland, N.J.; Chilton, L.; Press, J.R & Natural History Museum (London) (1993), Flora of the Cretan Area: annotated checklist and atlas, London: HMSO, ISBN 978-0-11-310043-9
  • Yildirim, H.; Yetisen, K.; Özdemir, A. & Özdemir, C. (2017), "An Anatomical Study of Scilla (Scilloideae) Section Chionodoxa and Scilla bifolia in Turkey" (PDF), Planta Daninha, 35: e017162495, doi:10.1590/s0100-83582017350100004, retrieved 2020-03-16
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