Armenian grape hyacinth |
Inflorescence of the Armenian grape hyacinth
| Muscari armeniacum Baker: | |
| Blooming period: | April–May |
| Height: | approx. 20 cm |
| Flowers: | bisexual, actinomorphic, approx. 5 mm long, stamens: 6, styles: 1 |
| Tepals: | 6, bright sky blue, bell-shaped |
| Leaves: | mostly 4–8, basal, parallel-veined, linear |
Plant perennial, herbaceous with 2–3 cm thick, light brown bulb.
Stems upright, incl. flower scape about 20 cm high.
Leaves usually 4–8, basal, their tips are lying on the ground, blue-green, on the upper side often glaucous, glossy, about 5 mm wide, up to 30 cm long (longer than the stem).
The stalks bears a terminal, up to 9 cm long flower scape with a dense raceme of 20–40 sky blue, not glaucous, less than 5 mm long stalked and tubular to urceolate flowers.
The upper flowers are sterile and slightly brighter than the lower hermaphrodite flowers. All flowers have small white lobes at the mouth.
The 6 small, dark blue stamens are united with the corolla tube and are included. The superior ovary consist of 3 carpels and bears a stylus with a 3-lobed stigma.
After pollination by bees and bumblebees the ovary form membranous, ovate, 3-edged, 5–15 mm long capsules with 6 seeds. Propagation also by formation of daughter bulbs. Plants poisonous, garden escape.
| Floral formula: |
| * [P(3+3) A3+3] G(3) superior |
Occurrence:
Roadsides,
parks, public gardens, often near human settlements. Prefers slightly
moist, calcareous soils and sunny positions to partial shade.
Distribution:
Originally
Balkans, the Caucasus, Asia Minor. The populations
in Europe are based on feral garden plants.