SCILLA L. - SQUILL
Scientific Description:
Glabrous bulbous perennials. Bulb perennial, composed of numerous free scales and leaf bases, progressively renewed each year; outer tunics membranous, coloured, inner scales fleshy, usually white. Leaves 2−12, basal. Scapes l−4(−5), erect. Inflorescence racemose, or flowers solitary. Pedicels usually erect or suberect, sometimes curved or nodding at least at tip, more rarely patent to ± deflexed. Bracts 1 per flower (often bifid) or absent. Perianth segments free (occasionally conduplicate at base forming a short tube not more than 1/5 × total length of perianth), usually spreading, sometimes suberect or reflexed, blue or purplish, often with darker midrib, usually deciduous. Filaments free, inserted at base of perianth segments, tapering to apex. Ovary subglobose or obovoid, 3-locular, ovules 2−10 per loculus; style usually straight, stigma small, truncate. Capsule subglobose or 3-lobed. Seeds subglobose, ovoid or ellipsoid, usually brown or black, rarely yellow, shiny, unwinged, with or without a caruncle or strophiole.
Reference:
Mordak EV (1984). Scilla L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 214.
Public Description:
Scilla is a genus of bulb-forming perennial herbs, known as “squill”, and is native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. A few species are also naturalized in Australia, New Zealand and North America. There are approximately 83 species in the world and 18 species (18 taxa) in Türkiye. Flowers are usually blue, but white, pink and purple ones are also known; mostly in early spring. A number of species, especially “Siberian squill (Scilla siberica Haw.)”, are grown as garden ornamental plants because of the attractive flowers blooming in early spring.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilla, Accessed date: 24.02.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Asparagaceae/Scilla/, Accessed date: 24.02.2016.
Yıldırım H (2012). Scilla L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 106–108.
.JPG)