PROSPERO DEPRESSUM

Family and Genus:- See- HYACINTHACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms: Scilla depressa

Meaning:- Prospero (Gr) Provide a good omen, give hope. or (L) Pass, penetrate.

Refering to the fact that the genus is close to the genus Scilla.

Depressum (L) Flattened downwards, depressed.

General description:- Low to short perennial.

Bulb:-

1) Ovoid, living scales white, length 3.5-4 x 1.7-2 cm diam.

2) Tunic, blackish-brown in colour.

3) Roots, thick, branched.

Scape:-

1) 1- 5, ascending, 0.8-2 mm. diam, 4-8 cm long in flower and 6-10cm. long in fruit.

Leaves:-

1) 10-15, green, 3-5 x 10 cm., usually appearing in autumn after the flowers.

Flowers:-

1) 5-18, pedicels in flower 1.5-3 mm, in fruit up to 3-5 (-7) mm.

2) Tepals, 5.5 x 2 mm., whitish to pale violet, abaxial side of the middle rib

greenish-brown.

3) Filaments, lanceolate, length 3.6 mm, width at the base 0.9 mm, white at the

base.

4) Ovary, ovoid, white, 2.4 x 1.4 mm. diam.

5) Style, length 2 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, globose 3 mm diam.

2) Seeds, black, 2.8 x 1.5mm.

Acknowledgments:- May thanks to Ralf Jahn for supplying the species

information.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry grassy and rocky places, open scrub, fields, roadsides.

Distribution:- Cretan endemic, known only from the Imbros gorge area, very rare

Flowering time:- Sept-Nov.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis