Leucojum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 289. 1753.

,

Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 140. 1754.

Common names: Snowflake nivéole
Etymology: Greek leukos, white, and ion, violet, alluding to the color and scent of the flowers
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 293. Mentioned on page 55, 280.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 043.jpegHymenocallis coronaria
Hymenocallis rotata
Leucojum aestivum
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Herbs, perennial, scapose, from brown, globose to ovoid, tunicate bulb. Leaves several; blade linear-ligulate, base sheathing. Scape stout, hollow [slender, solid]. Inflorescences umbellate, 2–5 (–7) -flowered, spathaceous; spathe bracts 2, free or entirely adnate on 1 side, appearing monophyllous. Flowers nodding; perianth campanulate; tepals 6, distinct, oblanceolate to ovate, equal; stamens 6, distinct; anthers basifixed, conic, longer than filaments, blunt apically, dehiscing by terminal pores; ovary inferior, green, 3-locular, globose, septal nectaries present; style filiform or clavate, exceeding anthers; stigma minutely capitate. Fruits capsular, erect, pyriform to subglobose, dehiscence loculicidal; pericarp somewhat fleshy. Seeds numerous, black, appendages absent. x = 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Distribution

Introduced; c, sw Europe, nw Africa, and sw Asia (Armenia), and sw Asia (Crimea), elsewhere

Discussion

Species ca. 10 (1 in the flora).

Several species of Leucojum are cultivated for their flowers. Although other species such as L. autumnale Linnaeus (autumn snowflake) and L. vernum Linnaeus (spring snowflake) may persist in old gardens, only the commonly cultivated L. aestivum (summer snowflake) is known definitely to be naturalized in the flora. There are unconfirmed reports that L. vernum is naturalized in the panhandle area of Florida.

Leucojum is sometimes confused with Galanthus, a spring-flowering, Eurasian relative, but it differs in that Leucojum has perianth segments that are all equal in size, and hollow stems that are usually taller and bear 2–5 flowers. In the southern states, the common name snowdrop, which usually refers to Galanthus species, is applied to Leucojum.

Leaves and bulbs of Leucojum contain the alkaloids lycorine and galanthamine, and are poisonous.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

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

... more about "Leucojum"
blunt +  and conic +
Gerald B. Straley† +  and Frederick H. Utech +
Linnaeus +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
dilated +
linear-ligulate +
sheathing +  and involucrate +
1;several +
Snowflake +  and nivéole +
c +, sw Europe +, nw Africa +, and sw Asia (Armenia) +, and sw Asia (Crimea) +  and elsewhere +
Greek leukos, white, and ion, violet, alluding to the color and scent of the flowers +
connate-coroniform +  and dilated +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
loculicidal +
pyriform +  and subglobose +
membranaceous +  and leathery +
spathaceous +, 2-5(-7)-flowered +  and umbellate +
paired +, paniculate +  and racemose +
persistent +
globose +
many;several +
zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
campanulate +
Sp. Pl. +  and Gen. Pl. ed. +
1753 +  and 1754 +
wind-distributed +
adnate +  and free +
staminodial +
1 +  and several +
3 +  and 1 +
clavate +  and filiform +
Leucojum +
Liliaceae +
distinct +
oblanceolate +  and ovate +
sepaloid +  and petaloid +
narrower +
3 +  and 2 +
12 +, 11 +, 10 +, 9 +, 8 +  and 7 +