Chionodoxa
Encyclopedia
Chionodoxa is a small genus
of bulbous perennials in the family Asparagaceae
, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is endemic to the eastern Mediterranean region, specifically Crete
, Cyprus
and Turkey
. The blue, white or pink flowers appear early in the year making them valuable garden ornamentals. The common name of the genus is based on the habit of flowering in high alpine zone
s when the snow melts in spring.
by two features: the tepal
s are joined at their bases to form a tube rather than being free; and the stamen
s have flattened stalks (filaments), which look almost like a cup in the centre of the flower. These differences are not considered by some botanists as sufficient to create a separate genus, and Chionodoxa species are often included in Scilla.
The taxonomy
of the genus is confused. Several of the species are very similar, and the number of species recognized as distinct varies significantly from one source to another. For example, plants occurring in Crete have at one time or another been put into three species: C. albescens, C. cretica and C. nana. Sfikas' Wild flowers of Crete recognizes only two of these (C. cretica and C. nana); the Natural History Museum
's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognizes only one (C. nana, as Scilla nana). The Royal Horticultural Society
distinguishes between C. forbesii and C. siehei; other botanists recognize only C. forbesii.
Assuming there are six species, as listed below, three occur in west Turkey, one in south-west Turkey, one in Crete and one in Cyprus. Garden plants have naturalised outside of their native range, e.g. in the UK, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. A natural hybrid C. siehei x C. luciliae also occurs.
publication which illustrates all three of these species states that the commonest garden species is properly called C. siehei
.
Three species were awarded the RHS
Award of Garden Merit
(H4 – hardy outdoors anywhere in the British Isles) in 1993 which was re-confirmed in 2004: C. luciliae, C. sardensis and C. siehei. (C. nana subsp. albescens was also given the award subject to availability.)
All can be bought as dry bulbs and planted while dormant in late summer or early autumn at a depth of 8-10 cm. They require light when in growth, but can be grown under deciduous
trees or shrubs, as their foliage dies down after flowering. All flower in early Spring, C. sardensis usually being the earliest. C. siehei seeds freely in many gardens, and can create a carpet of blue.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of bulbous perennials in the family Asparagaceae
Asparagaceae
Asparagaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots.In earlier classification systems, the species involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae...
, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is endemic to the eastern Mediterranean region, specifically Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The blue, white or pink flowers appear early in the year making them valuable garden ornamentals. The common name of the genus is based on the habit of flowering in high alpine zone
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
s when the snow melts in spring.
Taxonomy
Chionodoxa is distinguished from the closely related genus ScillaScilla
Scilla is a genus of about 50 bulb-forming perennial herbs in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe and Asia...
by two features: the tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s are joined at their bases to form a tube rather than being free; and the stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s have flattened stalks (filaments), which look almost like a cup in the centre of the flower. These differences are not considered by some botanists as sufficient to create a separate genus, and Chionodoxa species are often included in Scilla.
The taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the genus is confused. Several of the species are very similar, and the number of species recognized as distinct varies significantly from one source to another. For example, plants occurring in Crete have at one time or another been put into three species: C. albescens, C. cretica and C. nana. Sfikas' Wild flowers of Crete recognizes only two of these (C. cretica and C. nana); the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognizes only one (C. nana, as Scilla nana). The Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
distinguishes between C. forbesii and C. siehei; other botanists recognize only C. forbesii.
Assuming there are six species, as listed below, three occur in west Turkey, one in south-west Turkey, one in Crete and one in Cyprus. Garden plants have naturalised outside of their native range, e.g. in the UK, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. A natural hybrid C. siehei x C. luciliae also occurs.
Garden use
There has been considerable confusion over the correct names of species grown in gardens, with the commonest being called either C. luciliae, C. forbesii or C. siehei. A 2005 Royal Horticultural SocietyRoyal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
publication which illustrates all three of these species states that the commonest garden species is properly called C. siehei
Chionodoxa siehei
Chionodoxa siehei or Siehe's Glory-of-the-Snow is a bulbous perennial from west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It seeds readily to form colonies.-Description:...
.
Three species were awarded the RHS
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
Award of Garden Merit
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit, or AGM, is an award made to garden plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society after a period of assessment by the appropriate committees of the Society...
(H4 – hardy outdoors anywhere in the British Isles) in 1993 which was re-confirmed in 2004: C. luciliae, C. sardensis and C. siehei. (C. nana subsp. albescens was also given the award subject to availability.)
All can be bought as dry bulbs and planted while dormant in late summer or early autumn at a depth of 8-10 cm. They require light when in growth, but can be grown under deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees or shrubs, as their foliage dies down after flowering. All flower in early Spring, C. sardensis usually being the earliest. C. siehei seeds freely in many gardens, and can create a carpet of blue.
Species
- Chionodoxa albescens (Pale Glory-of-the-snow) - Crete – see C. nanaChionodoxa nanaChionodoxa nana or Dwarf Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from Crete flowering in early spring with flowers in shades of lilac blue...
- Chionodoxa cretica (Cretan Glory-of-the-snow) - Crete – see C. nanaChionodoxa nanaChionodoxa nana or Dwarf Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from Crete flowering in early spring with flowers in shades of lilac blue...
- Chionodoxa forbesiiChionodoxa forbesiiChionodoxa forbesii or Forbes' Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from south-west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring....
(Forbes' Glory-of-the-snow) - south-west Turkey - Chionodoxa lochiaeChionodoxa lochiaeChionodoxa lochiae or Loch's Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from Cyprus flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It was named after Lady Loch who collected it....
, synonym C. gigantea (Loch's Glory-of-the-snow) - Cyprus - Chionodoxa luciliaeChionodoxa luciliaeChionodoxa luciliae or Lucile's Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring...
(Lucile's Glory-of-the-snow) - west Turkey - Chionodoxa nanaChionodoxa nanaChionodoxa nana or Dwarf Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from Crete flowering in early spring with flowers in shades of lilac blue...
(Dwarf Glory-of-the-snow) - Crete - Chionodoxa sardensisChionodoxa sardensisChionodoxa sardensis or Lesser Glory-of-the-snow is a bulbous perennial from west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring....
(Lesser Glory-of-the-snow) - west Turkey - Chionodoxa sieheiChionodoxa sieheiChionodoxa siehei or Siehe's Glory-of-the-Snow is a bulbous perennial from west Turkey flowering in early spring. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It seeds readily to form colonies.-Description:...
, synonyms C. tmoli, C. tmolusii (Siehe's Glory-of-the-snow) - west Turkey; the commonest garden form