Scilla species changes
Jane McGary (Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:35:08 PDT)
The revision of the genus Scilla was proposed by a botanist named
Speta (don't recall first name). Some of the revisions seem to make a
lot of sense to the layperson (e.g., Prospero as a genus typified by
former S. autumnalis), but others don't appear to have made much of
an impact on recent lists.
Quoting from Mary Sue's note:
From Julian's post:
Fessia: such as F. greilhuberi, F. hohenackeri. Similar to Othocallis but
with very different seeds: always glossy black, lacking any appendages.
Anthers rather large. Tepals persistent. These two species are
listed on the monocot check list under Fessia not
Scilla as is Fessia puschkinioides.
This would probably include those two species and S. gorganica.
Although described as difficult in some UK literature, these do well
for me, and S/F greilhuberi is a good subject in the open garden.
They're much admired in flower for their clear blue color and the
prominent anthers. F/S puschkinioides (not to be confused with
Puschkinia scilloides!) is a weak plant for me and I don't recall it
looking much like the others mentioned, though of course botanists no
longer go on morphology.
Barnardia japonica has become the name of choice for the plant some of us
know as Scilla scilloides or Scilla chinensis (but they also list 39 other
taxa as synonyms.)
You get this plant under many names, but having grown a few versions
I think they all behave much the same in gardens. It is a fall
bloomer with airy pinkish flowers.
Scilla lingulata, one of my favorite fall bloomers is listed as
Hyacinthoides lingulata without subspecies. While I'm on Hyacinthoides,
Hyacinthoides mauritanica subsp. vincentina is listed as the accepted name
for Hyacinthoides vincentina.
This is rather disappointing though no doubt there is a DNA-based
reason for it; Hyacinthoides is linked in the minds of most gardeners
with the invasive H. campanulata (Spanish bluebell) and with H. non-scripta
(English bluebell), both spring-bloomers with a totally different
appearance from fall-blooming S. lingulata with its little succulent
leaves flat to the soil surface. Its bulbs, however, are reminiscent
of the more familiar Hyacinthoides species.
As for mauretanica = vincentina, all I know is that here, mauretanica
flowers at least 6 weeks before vincentina; they come from opposite
sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. Vincentina self-sows readily in the
bulb frame and comes in both blue and white.
Some gardeners avoid Scilla (in the old sense) because some species
can increase too enthusiastically for the very controlled type of
garden, but in a more naturalistic setting most of them are really
valuable and don't spread far. Unfortunately, commercial bulbs can
come under the wrong names, particularly "Scilla litardieri" -- when
I ordered it, I got Spanish bluebells. All species seem to be easy to
grow from seed, flowering in the third or fourth year from sowing; S.
(Prospero) autumnalis, a colonizing seeder, can bloom the second
year. One favorite of mine is S. persica (don't know the new genus).
S. sibirica is one that is widely sold and is correctly identified;
it doesn't do well here in Oregon, possibly needing a deeper winter
dormancy; I think it's one of the few species that remains in Scilla.
Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA