Scilla chinensis

Interesting Facts

Description

Genus Scilla

Herbs, perennial , scapose , from bulbs. Bulbs perennial, ovoid to globose , composed of free scales , progressively renewed annually. Leaves few, basal. Inflorescences racemose or cymose , 1-many-flowered, sometimes bracteate ; bracts none or 1, subtending each flower. Flowers: perianth usually blue or purple, rarely white; tepals distinct to base , each 1-veined; stamens 6; filaments inserted at base of perianth, distinct; anthers dorsifixed , introrse ; pistil 1, 3-carpellate; ovary superior, 3-locular, septal nectaries present, ovules 1-10 per locule; style simple . Fruits capsular , 3-lobed, subglobose, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 3-30, not winged , globose to ellipsoid , elaiosomes present. x = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Species ca. 50: introduced ; Eurasia , especially Mediterranean area and sw Asia; s Africa.

A number of species of Scilla are commonly grown for their early, showy spring flowers, and present the possibility of becoming naturalized . In particular, S. bifolia Linnaeus, two-leaved squill, has been reported in Michigan (E. G. Voss 1972-1985, vol. 1) and northwestern Indiana (F. Swink and G. S. Wilhelm 1994). The summer-flowering hyacinth squill, S. hyacinthoides Linnaeus [Nectaroscilla hyacinthoides (Linnaeus) Parlatore], has been collected along roadsides near Mooringsport, Louisiana, and in Navarro County, Texas; it is readily distinguished from the spring-flowering species by its tall scapes (30-80 cm) with more than 40 flowers, and its more numerous leaves (8-10).

F. Speta (1998, 1998b) drastically split Scilla, placing the Eurasian members into 10-12 mostly small genera on the basis of molecular (M. Pfosser and F. Speta 1999) and karyological (J. Greilhuber 1982; J. Greilhuber et al. 1981; F. Speta 1979) studies, as well as morphological data. Some of these segregate genera correspond to subgenera and sections recognized in other Eurasian treatments over the past 75 years (e.g. , P. Chouard 1930; J. McNeill 1980; E. V. Mordak 1984), but others represent even finer splitting .[1]

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae () - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae () - Cavalier-Smith, 1981
    - Phylum: Tracheophyta () - Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Vascular Plants
      - Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ()
        Infraphylum: Radiatopses () - Kenrick & Crane, 1997
        Class: Spermatopsida () - Brongniart, 1843
        Subclass: Liliidae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Lilianae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Order: Asparagales () - Bromhead, 1838
        Suborder: Asparagineae () -
        Family: Asparagaceae () - A.L. de Jussieu, 1789, nom. cons.
        Tribe: Hyacintheae ()
        Genus: Scilla () - C. Linnaeus, 1753 - Squill [Greek skilla, squill, the officinal or its source, Urginea maritima, syn. Scilla maritima]
        Specific epithet: chinensis - Benth.
        Botanical name: - Scilla chinensis Benth.