Chionodoxa sardensis

Chionodoxa sardensis
Chionodoxa sardensis
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
clade: Angiosperms
clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Chionodoxa
Species: C. sardensis
Binomial name
Chionodoxa sardensis
Whittall ex Barr & Sugden

Chionodoxa sardensis or 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.

Like all members of the genus Chionodoxa, the bases of the stamens are flattened and closely clustered in the middle of the flower. In the related genus Scilla, the stamens are not flattened or clustered together.[1] The differences are not considered by some botanists as sufficient to create a separate genus, so they include this species in Scilla.[2]

C. sardensis resembles C. forbesii, but has a less distinct white 'eye'.[2] Each bulb produces two-three leaves, up to 13.6 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, and at most one flowering stem, up to 14 cm long. The flowers are produced in a loose pyramidal to one-sided raceme, with up to 22 flowers per stem. Each flower is up to 2.5 cm across, with individual tepals 1.5 cm long. The tepals are violet-blue, somewhat paler at the base, producing a paler 'eye' at the centre of the flower.[3] The stamen bases are white.[4]

Notes and references

  1. ^ Mathew 1987, p. 25
  2. ^ a b Dashwood & Mathew 2005, p. 5
  3. ^ Dashwood & Mathew 2005, p. 7 (However, some bulbs grown under this name from cultivated stock appear to have a white eye similar to C. siehei.)
  4. ^ According to Brian Mathew (pers. comm.), Dashwood & Mathew (2005) is in error in saying that they are violet-blue.

Bibliography



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