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Scilla cretica

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scilla cretica
Scientific classification Edit this 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
Synonyms[1]
  • Chionodoxa cretica Boiss. & Heldr., non Jaub. & Spach, nom. illeg.
  • Hyacinthus creticus (Boiss. & Heldr.) Nyman

Scilla cretica is a species of flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family.[2] It is referred to by the common name Cretan glory-of-the-snow, and 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.[3] It has not always been recognized as distinct from Scilla nana.

Description

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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.[4]

Taxonomy

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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.[5] In 1993, the Natural History Museum's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognized only Scilla nana.[6] As of March 2020, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepted both S. cretica and S. nana.[1][7] 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.[5]

Distribution and habitat

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

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Scilla cretica", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2020-03-17
  2. ^ "Scilla cretica (Boiss. & Heldr.) Speta". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  3. ^ Yildirim et al. (2017)
  4. ^ Mathew (1987), p. 25
  5. ^ a b Sfikas (1987), p. 268
  6. ^ Turland et al. (1993), p. 185
  7. ^ "Scilla nana", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2020-03-17

Bibliography

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