Scilla litardierei

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 (hence Dalmatian scilla), it was introduced to western Europe (England) in 1827. It has become much more easily available since 2004.[2]

Scilla litardierei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Scilla
Species:
S. litardierei
Binomial name
Scilla litardierei
Breistr. (1954)
Synonyms
  • Chouardia litardierei (Breistr.) Speta[1]
  • Nectaroscilla litardierei (Breistr.) Trávn.
  • Scilla amethystina Vis.
  • Scilla italica Host
  • Scilla pratensis Waldst. & Kit.
Scilla litardierei

In its original habitat in Slovenia it is considered an endangered species,[3] flowering in May–June.[4]

Description

Scilla litardierei has 3-6 grass-like leaves, 3-8mm wide, tapering to a point. Up to 70 blue-violet flower buds are borne on each stem in a dense raceme, opening into star-shaped flowers, 15–20 cm high. Preferring partial shade, it will naturalise and spread in favourable conditions.

Taxonomy

To quote Stedje (2001): "The definition of genera and the assignment of species to genera within the family Hyacinthaceae or subfamily Scilleae of the family Liliaceae, have troubled taxonomists since Linnaeus. The group is poor in qualitative characters, which has made it difficult to define stable genera based on good diagnostic characters. Species have often been moved from genus to genus either due to different opinions on generic delimitation or to misinterpretation of characters."

Based on DNA sequence studies, the Austrian botanist Franz Speta prefers to re-ascribe this species into a separate genus, Chouardia, within the Hyacintheae.[5]

The preferred name is Scilla litardierei.[6]

The synonyms Scilla amethystina Fish., Scilla pratensis Waldst. & Kit., Scilla italica Host and Scilla nutans Alsch. are no longer valid.

Cultivation

In cultivation in the UK Scilla litardierei has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[7][8] It is hardy down to −20 °C (−4 °F).[7]

The best known cultivar is ‘Orjen’, originating from Mount Orjen in Montenegro in 1971.

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References
  1. "Scilla litardierei". The Plant List. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  2. Paghat's garden
  3. IUCN Red List
  4. Zaplana.net
  5. Speta, F. (1998): Systematische Analyse der Gattung Scilla L. s. l. (Hyacinthaceae). Phyton (Horn Austria) 38(1), 97–99.
  6. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew: World Checklist
  7. "RHS Plantfinder - Scilla litardierei". Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  8. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 96. Retrieved 6 November 2018.

Sources

Published papers

Databases

Other
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