Muscari armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker Armenian Grape Hyacinth

Muscari armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker - Armenian Grape Hyacinth

Scientific Description:

Bulb 1−2.5 cm diam., with or without offsets. Leaves (2−)3−5(−7), linear to narrowly linear-lanceolate (rarely linear-elliptic), 10−30 cm × l−5(−10) mm, upper surface green, without a white line. Scape 10−40 cm. Raceme dense to very dense, ovate to cylindrical with imbricate flowers, 1.5−4 × 1−1.5 cm, elongating and lax in fruit. Fertile flowers obovoid to oblong-urceolate, 3.5−5.5 × 2−3 mm, sky blue or violet-tinged, constricted distally; lobes white or paler than tube (rarely concolorous), 0.5−1 mm. Stamens biseriate, attached at and above middle of tube. Sterile flowers few, paler and concolorous. Fruiting raceme elongate and lax. Capsule obovate-orbicular, 4−6 × 4−7 mm, subemarginate. Seeds 1.8−2.2 mm diam.

 

Flowering time: March−May(−July).

Habitat: Limestone slopes, rock outcrops, sometimes on serpentine or schist, often in Juniperus L. scrub, Pinus brutia L. forest with Quercus L., Pinus sylvestris L. woods, Sarcopoterium spinosum L. phrygana, pastures, sand dunes, s.l.−2750 m.

 

Reference:
Davis PH & Stuart DC (1984). Muscari armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 255–256.

Public Description:

Muscari armeniacum, known as “armenian grape hyacinth”, is widespread in the woods and meadows of the Eastern Mediterranean, from Greece and Türkiye to the Caucasus. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with blue or purple flowers and bulbs under the soil. It blooms in March and May, and is found in limestone slopes, rock outcrops, sometimes on serpentine or schist, forests, pastures, sand dunes. It is one of the most commonly cultivated species of grape hyacints (Muscari Mill.).

 

References:

Anonymous (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscari_armeniacum, Accessed date: 21.02.2016.

Eker İ (2012). Muscari Mill., 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. 98–100.