MUSCARI COMOSUM

Family and Genus:- See- HYACINTHACEAE/ Subgen. LEOPOLDIA

Common Names:- Tassel hyacinth

Homotypic Synonyms:- Hyacinthus comosus, Leopoldia comosa, Muscari

charrelii, Muscari cousturrieri.

Meaning:- Muscari (L) Musk-like (from the Turkish, moscos, fragrance).

Comosum (Gr) Long-haired, shaggy-tufted.

General description:- Short to medium, rather slender, bulbous perennial.

Bulb:-

1) 2-3.5 x 1.5-2.5 cm, deep-seated, usually without offsets; tunics pinkish.

Scape:-

1) 20-50 crn, erect, usually solitary.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, (2-)3-4(-5), shorter than or equalling scape, linear-lanceolate, generally 5-

15 mm wide, slightly canaliculate, glabrous.

Flower:-

1) Raceme, 8-20 cm at anthesis, rather lax.

a) fertile flowers, (l10-)20-40(-100), patent or slightly deflexed on pedicels 5-10(-

20) mm.

b) sterile flowers, long-pedicellate, forming a conspicuous, corymbose tassel;

both pedicels and perianth violet.

2) Perianth, 6-9 mm, broadly cylindrical, slightly widened at the apex into rounded

shoulders, violet in bud, at anthesis tawny brownish yellow in lower 2/3 and

somewhat darker distally; teeth pale yellow or cream.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 7-9 mm, broadly ovoid, distinctly emarginate.

2) Seeds, c. 2 mm, subglobose.

Key features:-

1) Sterile flowers, long-pedicellate, forming a conspicuous, corymbose tassel.

2) Fertile flowers, 6-9 mm

3) Leaves, linear-lanceolate, generally 5-15 mm wide.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Cultivated and fallow fields and olive groves, also in a wide range of semi-

natural habitats up to 1800 m.

Distribution:- Mediterranean area and SC Europe through Anatolia to Iran and the

Arabian Peninsula.

Flowering time:- Mar-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton