Muscari weissii, Freyn

6. M. weissii Freyn , Österr. Bot. Zeitschr. 28: 87 (1878)

( M. theraeum (Heldr.) Boiss. ).

Bulb-tunics dark brown to reddish. Leaves (2-)3-4(-6), 8-30 cm x 8-15 mm, linear-lanceolate, canaliculate. Scape (6-)8-30(-45) cm, longer or shorter than leaves. Raceme lax, cylindrical. Pedicels of fertile flowers 1-5-9 mm, usually shorter than the flowers, patent at anthesis. Fertile flowers 5-9(-ll)m m, oblong or obconic-tubular, occasionally slightly constricted in middle; shoulders rounded; distal part of tube dark brown; proximal brownish-yellow or greenish; teeth bright brownish-yellow. Pedicels of sterile flowers 5-9 mm, patent, usually as long as those of fertile flowers. Sterile flowers 4-8 mm, obovoid, violet or purplish, shorter or longer than the fertile. Capsule 10-15 x 9-5-10-5 mm, broadly ellipsoid or obovoid. 2« =18, 36 (54). S. Aegean region. C rG r. Plants occur in which the teeth of the fertile flowers are cream instead of bright yellow. It seems likely that at least some of these are hybrids with 7.

Plants from Kriti, which are like 6 but taller, with a larger bulb, fertile flowers with cream-coloured teeth, pedicels 10-25 mm, and sterile flowers with suberect pedicels, have been described as M. dionysicum Rech , fil., Denksehr. Akad. Wiss. Math.-Nat. Kl. (Wien) 105(2, 1): 167 (1943). They have 2n = 18, 36, and may represent an extreme variant of 7.