Bellevalia Lapeyr.

33. Bellevalia Lapeyr. 3

Glabrous, bulbous, scapose perennials. Bulbs with a membranous tunic. Leaves several, all basal. Inflorescence a raceme, with numerous white or blue to violet flowers which become brownish, greenish or yellowish after anthesis. Bracts usually small, membranous. Perianth tubular, campanulate or infundibuliform, deeply divided into 6 more or less patent lobes. Stamens 6, inserted at the base of the perianth-lobes; anthers held next to the perianth-segments, blue. Fruit a triquetrous capsule with 3 prominent ribs.

Literature: N. Feinbrun, Palest. Jour. Bot. (Jerusalem) 1: 336—+09 (1940).

1 Racemes conical at anthesis

2 Pedicels erecto-patent at anthesis; racemes 40- to 80-flowered;

perianth-lobes yellowish-white 6. sarmatica 1 Racemes cylindrical or oblong at anthesis 3 Leaves procumbent; perianth bluish-violet or dark green at anthesis, the lobes whitish, with green veins 2. dubia 3 Leaves erect or recurved; perianth without this combination of colours 4Perianth 8-16 mm 5 Racemes oblong; perianth 8-18 mm, turbinate 7. romana 5 Racemes cylindrical; perianth9-16 m m,campanulate

1. trifoliata 4Perianth 5-7 mm 6 Outer leaves 3-12 mm wide; flowers dark blue or violet,

later dingy yellow 7 Outer leaves 3-12 mm wide; leaf-margin smooth; flowers dark blue 4. hackelii 7 Outer leaves 10-20 mm wide; leaf-margin scabrid; flowers dark violet, later dingy yellow 5. lipskyi 6 Outer leaves 10-20 mm wide; flowers reddish-grey or white 8 Flowers reddish-grey; pedicels 5-8 mm 3. webbiana 8 Flowers white; pedicels 1-1-5 mm 9. brevipedicellata