Alpine squill

Description

Scilla bifolia, the alpine squill or two-leaf squill, is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from an underground bulb, belonging to the genus Scilla of the family Asparagaceae. The Latin specific epithet bifolia means "twin leaved". Scilla bifolia grows from a bulb 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) across. There are two or rarely three lance-shaped, curved, fleshy and shiny leaves and the bases of the leaves clasp up to about the half of the stem (amplexicaul). The flowering stems are erect and unbranched, 10–20 cm (4–8 in) high. The raceme bears 6-10 flowers, each 1 cm (0.4 in) across. The flowers of Scilla bifolia are upward-facing, unlike the nodding flowers of Scilla siberica (Siberian squill). They bloom from early to late spring. The six tepals are deep violet-blue, more rarely white, pink, or purple. The fruit is a capsule 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) across. S. bifolia has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Scilla bifolia is native to Europe and western Russia south through Turkey to Syria. The plant is found in shady places, woods of beech or deciduous trees, and mountain grasslands. It grows at an altitude of 100–2,000 m (330–6,560 ft) above sea level. Scilla is a genus of about 50 to 80 species of bulb-forming perennial herbaceous plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Sometimes called the squills in English, they are native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. A few species are also naturalized in Australia, New Zealand and North America. Their flowers are usually blue, but white, pink, and purple types are known; most flower in early spring, but a few are autumn-flowering. Several Scilla species are valued as ornamental garden plants. Scilla has most recently been classified as belonging to the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae; that subfamily was formerly treated as a separate family, Hyacinthaceae. Prior to that it was placed in the tribe Hyacintheae of the family Liliaceae. The precise number of Scilla species in the genus depends on which proposals to split the genus are accepted. Other proposals separate particularly the Eurasian species into a number of smaller genera such as Othocallis Salisb., e.g. Scilla siberica would become Othocallis siberica.