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Muscari comosum (L.) Miller
Leopoldia comosa (syn. Muscari comosum)
Genus: Muscari L.
Species: Muscari comosum (L.) Miller
English Name: Tassel hyacinth or Tassel grape hyacinth
Leopoldia comosa (syn. Muscari comosum) is a perennial bulbous plant. Usually called the tassel hyacinth[2] or tassel grape hyacinth,[3] it is one of a number of species and genera also known as grape hyacinths. It is found in rocky ground and cultivated areas, such as cornfields and vineyards,[4] in south-east Europe to Turkey and Iran,[5] but has naturalized elsewhere. In southern Italy and Greece, its bulb is a culinary delicacy.
Description
Described by Oleg Polunin as "a striking plant", it has a tuft of bright blue to violet-blue sterile flowers above brownish-green fertile flowers, which open from dark blue buds,[4] reminiscent of a menorah candelabrum. This tuft gives rise to the name "tassel hyacinth".[5] The flower stem is 20–60 cm tall; individual flowers are borne on long stalks, purple in the case of the sterile upper flowers. Mature fertile flowers are 5–10 mm long with stalks of this length or more and are bell-shaped, opening at the mouth, where there are paler lobes. The linear leaves are 5–15 mm wide, with a central channel.[4][5]
Leopoldia comosa naturalizes easily and may become invasive. It has spread northwards from its original distribution, for example appearing in the British Isles in the 16th century.
In a cultivar called 'Monstrosum' or 'Plumosum', all the flowers have become branched purple stems.[5]
Cuisine
During Roman times, Pliny noted that the bulbs were eaten with vinegar, oil, and garum.[6] Today, it is still eaten in some Mediterranean countries. In Apulia and Basilicata, it is cultivated and known as lampagioni or lampascioni.[7] In Greek it is called βολβοί, βροβιοί volví, vrovií (ασκουρδαλάκοι in Crete). In Greece and especially on Crete, it is considered a delicacy and collected in the wild. The cleaned bulbs are boiled several times, pickled, and then kept in olive oil.
Muscari comosum (L.) Mill. is a synonym of Leopoldia comosa (L.) Parl.
This name is a synonym of Leopoldia comosa (L.) Parl..
The record derives from WCSP which reports it as a synonym (record 281521) with original publication details: Gard. Dict. ed. 8 2 1768.
This name is in version 1.1 of The Plant List, record kew-281521, and has not been changed.
545. (3). M. comosum Mill. (Herbaceous perennial plant) - Shrubs, hills, meadows. Distributed (1). V - VI. FIG. 286 f. comosum - Fertil flowers with petioles equal to or slightly longer; of the barren 4 - 6 times longer. Widespread.
f. scorpions (Vel.) Hay. (M. Vel .; M. Bouryanum Vel. An Heldr.?) - Fertil flowers with petioles, half shorter than them, on the barren 2 - 4 times longer Sliven.From: „Флора на България”, Н. Стоянов, Б. Стефанов, Б. Китанов, „Наука и изкуство”, Четвърто преработено и допълнено издание, Част I, София (1966)
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Flowering Time: May - June
Distribution in Bulgaria: Shrubs, hills, meadows. Distributed (1). V - VI. FIG. 286 (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc. Distribution: This plant is common throughout the Mediterranean region, where it flowers from March until June. Tassel Grape Hyacinth can be found in disturbed ground in fields, on roadsides and in other grassy or stony places.
Conservation status and threats: not protected species in Bulgaria by the Biodiversity Law. - Biological Diversity Act - http://eea.government.bg/bg/legislation/biodiversity/zbran_22.08.15.pdf
Medical plant: it is not - Medicinal Plants Act - http://eea.government.bg/bg/legislation/biodiversity/ZLR_en.pdf
References: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, The Plant List > www.theplantlist.org > tpl > record > kew-281521, „Флора на България”, Н. Стоянов, Б. Стефанов, Б. Китанов, „Наука и изкуство”, Четвърто преработено и допълнено издание, Част I, София (1966),
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