Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Scilla peruviana

Other names

Cuban-lily, Peruvian Scilla, Hyacinth-of-Peru

Family

Asparagaceae

Flowering season

May to June

English distribution

It is found in the Isles of Scilly and other parts of Cornwall.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Portuguese Squill

Habitat

It is a neophyte from the Western Mediterranean.that was

introduced into the UK in the mid 1700s.

It is still grown as an ornamental crop in bulb fields on

St.Marys in the Isles of Scilly.

Cultivars can be blue, white or purple.

Description

Portuguese Squill is a perennial bulbiferous herb

growing up to 40cm.

The flowering stem bears a dense pyramidal raceme

 of up to 100 flowers.

Each flower is up to 2cm across and has 6

blue/purple tepals.

There are 6 stamens with prominent white/yellow

anthers.

The ovary and style are bottle-shaped with a

capitate stigma.

The leaves are up to 60cm long and 4cm broad.