Hyacinthoides hispanica
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|taxon = Hyacinthoides hispanica
|image = Scilla hispanica 1.JPG
|authority = (Mill.) Chouard ex Rothm.
|synonyms = {{collapsible list|
- Agraphis campanulata (Aiton) Link
- Agraphis patula (Desf.) Rchb.
- Endymion campanulatus (Aiton) Parl.
- Endymion hispanicus (Mill.) Chouard
- Endymion patulus (Desf.) Dumort.
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta subsp. hispanica (Mill.) Kerguélen
- Hyacinthoides patula (Desf.) Rothm.
- Hyacinthoides racemosa Medik.
- Hyacinthus amethystinus Lam.
- Hyacinthus patulus Desf.
- Hyacinthus spicatus Moench
- Hylomenes campanulata (Aiton) Salisb.
- Lagocodes patula (Desf.) Raf.
- Scilla campanulata Aiton
- Scilla hispanica Mill.
- Scilla hyacinthoides Jacq.
- Scilla jacquinii J.F.Gmel.
- Scilla macrogona Link
- Scilla non-scripta subsp. hispanica (Mill.) Ietsw.
- Scilla patula (Desf.) DC.
- Usteria dispersa Medik.
}}}}
File:Hyacinthoides hispanica flower (03).jpg
Hyacinthoides hispanica (syn. Endymion hispanicus or Scilla hispanica), the Spanish bluebell or wood hyacinth, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial native to the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of around a dozen species in the genus Hyacinthoides, others including the common bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in northwestern Europe, and the Italian bluebell (Hyacinthoides italica) further east in the Mediterranean region.{{Citation |title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |publisher=The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do |accessdate=2011-07-05 }}, search for "Hyacinthoides"
Description
It is distinguished from the common bluebell by its paler and larger blue flowers, which are less pendulous and not all drooping to one side like the common bluebell; plus a more erect flower stem (raceme), broader leaves, blue anthers (where the common bluebell has creamy-white ones) and little or no scent compared to the strong fragrant scent of the northern species. Like Hyacinthoides non-scripta, both pink- and white-flowered forms occur.{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Stephen |date=2024-04-28 |title=Spanish vs native bluebells: Knowing the difference, and why it matters |url=https://nation.cymru/feature/spanish-vs-native-bluebells-knowing-the-difference-and-why-it-matters/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}
Distribution
Hyacinthoides hispanica is native to the western part of the Iberian Peninsula (except the extreme northwest) which includes Portugal and western Spain, but has naturalized and is cultivated in many other European countries, North America and Australia.{{cite web |title=H. hispanica |url=http://www.floraiberica.es/floraiberica/texto/pdfs/20_183_21_Hyacinthoides.pdf |publisher=Flora Iberica |access-date=17 September 2021}}
The Spanish bluebell was introduced in the United Kingdom around the late 17th century.{{Cite web |title=Facts about bluebells {{!}} Nature |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/nature/trees-plants/a-guide-to-bluebells-in-the-uk |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=National Trust |language=en}} Since then, it has hybridised frequently with the native common bluebell and the resulting hybrids are regarded as invasive. The resulting hybrid Hyacinthoides × massartiana and the Spanish bluebell both produce highly fertile seed but it is generally the hybrid that invades areas of the native common bluebell. This has caused the common bluebell to be viewed as a threatened species.{{Cite web |title=5 non-native plants causing environmental problems in Cheshire |url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/cheshire/22585798.5-non-native-plants-causing-environmental-problems-cheshire/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Great British Life |date=3 February 2016 |language=en}}
The Spanish bluebell is also cultivated as a garden plant, and several named cultivars exist with flowers in various shades of white, pink and blue.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
;General
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060427035443/http://www.the-tree.org.uk/EnchantedForest/WoodlandFlowers/bluebell.htm The-Tree.org: Bluebell] (includes key to identification of hybrids)
- Huxley, A. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening vol. 2: 604. Macmillan.
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Hyacinthoides hispanica|Hyacinthoides hispanica}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q159629}}