Asphodelus

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 309. 1753.

,

Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 146. 1754.

Common names: Asphodel
Etymology: Greek asphodelos, flower of Hades and the dead
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 218. Mentioned on page 57.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 029.jpegEremocrinum albomarginatum
Leucocrinum montanum
Asphodelus fistulosus
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Herbs, annual or perennial [or biennial], scapose, from swollen rhizomes. Leaves numerous, basal; blade linear, cylindrical [or flat], base membranous, sheathing, margins entire. Scape hollow [or solid]. Inflorescences racemose or paniculate, many-flowered, bracteate; bracts persistent, narrowly lanceolate, scarious. Flowers: tepals 6, erect to spreading, distinct or barely connate basally, equal, each with single prominent vein; stamens 6, distinct, subequal [or equal], shorter than tepals; filaments expanded at base; anthers dorsifixed; ovary 3-locular, ovules 1 or 2 per locule; septal nectaries present; style 1; stigma weakly 3-lobed; pedicel articulate. Fruits capsular, globose, hard, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 3 or 6, black, angled [or winged]. x = 13, 14.

Distribution

Introduced; sw Europe, n Africa, sw Asia (India), widely elsewhere

Discussion

Species 12 (1 in the flora).

Sometimes placed in the segregate family Asphodelaceae, Asphodelus occurs mainly throughout the Mediterranean region, the Middle and Near East, and central Asia. Asphodelus ramosus Linnaeus has been collected once in the flora from ballast in New Jersey in 1879.

Selected References

None.

"broad" is not a number."thicker" is not a number.

... more about "Asphodelus"
dorsifixed +
cordate +  and linear +
Gerald B. Straley† +  and Frederick H. Utech +
Linnaeus +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
dilated +
membranous +
reticulate-veined +  and parallel-veined +
cylindrical +
sheathing +  and involucrate +
persistent +
1;several +
lanceolate +
tunicate +  and scaly +
Asphodel +
sw Europe +, n Africa +, sw Asia (India) +  and widely elsewhere +
Greek asphodelos, flower of Hades and the dead +
connate-coroniform +  and dilated +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
loculicidal +
globose +
bracteate +  and many-flowered +
paniculate +  and racemose +
persistent +
superior +  and inferior +
zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
Sp. Pl. +  and Gen. Pl. ed. +
1753 +  and 1754 +
wind-distributed +
6 +  and 3 +
staminodial +
subequal +
1 +  and several +
Asphodelus +
Liliaceae +
connate +  and distinct +
erect +  and spreading +
sepaloid +  and petaloid +
narrower +
perennial +  and annual +
3 +  and 2 +