Family |
Ixioliriaceae
Ixiolirion tataricum
(Pall.) Schult. & Schult.f.
Ixiolirion tataricum (Pall.) Schult. & Schult.f.
First published in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes, Syst. Veg., ed. 15[bis]. 7: 752 (1829).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, p. 293, Pl. XCVI, 3; 1966)
Description
Life-form & habit: Bulbous perennial with an often deeply buried, ovoid bulb 1–2 cm long, enclosed by violet or yellowish tunics. The upright, rigid stem is slightly flexuous, 30–70 cm tall.
Leaves: Narrow, grasslike, striated leaves taper to long points and reach 25 cm; they occur at the base and become smaller along the flowering branches.
Inflorescence & flowers: Flowers form a raceme or lightly branched panicle. Six upright, pointed tepals, 2–5 cm long and 3–5 mm wide, form a vivid blue-violet funnel; the six stamens are shorter than the perianth.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering April–May.
Habitat & elevation: Various soils, especially stony ground, in the interior from the upper coastal mountains onwards.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Bhamdoun, Maasser, Anna Bakich, Jezzine–Machghara, Ehden, Akkar mountains, Jourd Tannourine, Jourd Hasroun, Hadeth cedars, the Cedars, Dahr el Baidar, Sannine, Jabal Barouk, Zahle, Ksara, Rachaya and Hermon.
Syrian distribution: Slenfe, Bloudan, Wadi el Qarn, Jdeidat Yabous, Talaat Moussa, Jabal Maaloula, Aleppo, Oudehi, Homs, Homs–Hama, Hama–Qoumhane, Abou Douhour, Mezze, Soueida, Tell Ahmar, Jabal Abd el Aziz, Meskene, Jabal Daoua, Tell Daba near Palmyra, south of Qaryatein, Deir ez Zor, Soukhne, Jabal Bichri, Palmyra, Jabal Tenf, Palmyra–Homs, Jabal el Qorn and Abou Chamate.
Native range: Afghanistan, Altay, Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kuwait, Lebanon-Syria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya, Xinjiang.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Mouterde uses Ixiolirion tataricum with the author citation (Pall.) Herb. and includes I. montanum and I. pallasii. Kew accepts the author citation shown above and places both names in synonymy.