Product Code Database
Muscari is a genus of perennial plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of dense, most commonly blue, urn-shaped resembling bunches of in the spring. The common name for the genus is grape hyacinth, but they should not be confused with . A number of species of Muscari are used as Ornamental plant garden plants.
/ref>
Classified in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, the genus was formerly placed in the Liliaceae as a member of the tribe Hyacintheae. The genus was at one time divided into four groups or subgenera: Botryanthus, Pseudomuscari, Leopoldia, and Muscarimia. Some authorities recognize Leopoldia and Pseudomuscari as separate genera. , Plants of the World Online continued to recognize Muscarimia as a separate genus, with two species – Muscarimia macrocarpa and M. muscari (syn. Muscari racemosum).
The names of some of the species are somewhat confused, especially in the horticultural literature. Thus the name M. racemosum is commonly found as an incorrect synonym for M. neglectum, with M. muscarimi or M. moschatum being used for the true M. racemosum.See, e.g., Muscari fatmacereniae was recently described from Turkey.
The UK National Collection of Muscari is held by Richard Hobbs at his Witton Lane garden in Little Plumstead, Norfolk.
Subgenera
In 2023, Böhnert et al. published the results of a phylogenetic analysis of Muscari and its segregate genera. They found Muscari a "very natural group", with five distinct clades, which they recognize as subgenera:
The following cladogram shows how the subgenera are related:
Species
, Plants of the World Online accepted 85 species, including species that have been placed in Leopoldia and Pseudomuscari, genera which are treated as synonyms, but excluding Muscarimia. Subgenus placements in the table are from Böhnert et al. (2023).
Böhnert et al. placed two species in Muscari subg. Muscarimia that Plants of the World Online placed in the genus Muscarimia:
Muscari Leopoldia unplaced Muscari Muscari Muscari Muscari Muscari Muscari Pseudomuscari Leopoldia Muscari Leopoldia Muscari Pulchella Leopoldia Muscari Pseudomuscari Muscari Muscari Leopoldia Leopoldia Muscari unplaced Leopoldia Leopoldia Leopoldia Leopoldia Muscari Muscari Muscari Pseudomuscari Leopoldia unplaced Leopoldia Leopoldia Muscari Muscari Pulchella Pseudomuscari Muscari Pulchella Pseudomuscari Pulchella Muscari Leopoldia Leopoldia Muscari Leopoldia Leopoldia Leopoldia Pulchella Leopoldia Leopoldia unplaced Muscari Leopoldia Muscari Muscari Muscari Pseudomuscari Pseudomuscari unplaced Pulchella Muscari Leopoldia Muscari Leopoldia Muscari unplaced Muscari Leopoldia Muscari Leopoldia Muscari Pseudomuscari Leopoldia Leopoldia Pulchella Muscari unplaced Muscari Leopoldia Leopoldia unplaced
Formerly placed here
Distribution
The genus Muscari originated in the Old World, and is native to the Mediterranean basin, central and Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Western, Central and Southwest Asia. It has become naturalized elsewhere, including Northern Europe and the United States.
Cultivation
Some species are among the earliest garden flowers to bloom in the spring. They are planted as and tend to multiply quickly (naturalise) when planted in good soils. They prefer well drained sandy soil, that is acid to neutral and not too rich. Naturally found in woodlands or meadows, they are commonly cultivated in lawns, borders, rock gardens and containers. They require little feeding or watering in the summer, and sun or light shade.
Cultivars
External links
|
|
