Class
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Muscari armeniacum Veitch, Garden (London, 1871-1927), 1: 187 (1872)
Description
Clump-forming, grass-like. Bulb globose, to 2.5 cm diam.; tunic thin. brown. Leaves 3–8, ± erect, later elongating and drooping, 30–40 cm × 5–8–(10) mm, linear, concavo-convex, shining green on convex surface, dull and glaucous on concave surface. Scapes 1–3, to 30 cm × 5 mm, green, greyish-blue below inflorescence. Raceme to 10 cm long, at first hidden among leaves, conspicuous when scapes elongate and leaves droop. Flowers many 6–7 mm long, bright-blue to violet-blue, oblong to obovate, campanulate, fleshy, contracted at mouth; lobes white, recurved; pedicel slightly < flower, (or 0 in upper sterile flowers); bract white, minute. Sterile flowers to 18, smaller towards apex of raceme, entirely bright sky-blue. Capsule c. 7 mm long, triquetrous, firmly membranous. Seeds c. 2 mm long, black.
[From: Healy and Edgar (1980) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 3.]
Biostatus
Exotic
Phenology
Flowering: Aug.–Oct.; Fruiting: Oct.–Dec.
Bibliography
Hobbs, J.; Hatch, T. 1994: Bulbs for New Zealand Gardens. Godwit Press, Auckland.
Veitch, H.J. 1872: Notes and questions on the flower garden. The Arnenian Grap Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). The Garden, an illustrated weekly journal of gardening in all its branches 1: 687.
