2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Pushkinia (lat. Puschkinia) - a genus of herbaceous bulbous plants of the Asparagus family (Latin Asparagaceae), but in a number of literature it is possible to find the assignment of plants of this genus to the Liliaceae family (Latin Liliaceae). It is a spring plant with a very short growing season. Such plants are called by botanists the word "ephemeroid". Simultaneously with the basal leaves, strong peduncles appear, bearing picturesque inflorescences, exuding not the most pleasant aroma. The plant is used in decorative floriculture.
What's in your name
The Latin name of the genus "Puschkinia" preserves the memory of a Russian scientist named Apollos Apollosovich Musin-Pushkin, who took part in an expedition to Georgia at the beginning of the 19th century. The purpose of the expedition was to study the fauna and flora of those places. Botanist Mikhail Ivanovich Adams in this expedition described fifty species of plants, previously unknown, which were given names when describing. Thus, one of the new plants was given the name "Puschkinia", in honor of one of the participants in this journey.
Description
Plants of the Pushkinia genus are low-growing herbaceous plants, the underground part of which is represented by an ovoid bulb. The surface of a small bulb is covered with thin scales. The bulbs are poorly protected from environmental influences, and therefore it is not recommended to keep them outside the soil for a long time. If the bulbs are perennial, then the roots of the plant serve it for only one year.
In early spring, two or three linear green leaves are taken from the bulb to the surface of the earth, similar to the leaves of many plants blooming in early spring, for example, Tulips. Simultaneously with the leaves or a little later, a strong peduncle with buds appears.
The racemose inflorescence is formed by picturesque flowers, the shape of which is similar to the shape of potato flowers. The bell-shaped perianth has six petal, fused at the base, lobes, the outgrowths of which form a tubular crown inside the pharynx, ending in six teeth. A characteristic feature of plants of the genus Pushkin is that the filaments of the stamens are fused to form a "cup" or "crown". The petal lobes are bluish-white and are decorated with a longitudinal bright blue line in the center of each lobe.
The fleshy capsule is fruit, ending in a very short growing season. Inside the capsule are light brown, rounded seeds. The plant is propagated by both seeds and bulb babies.
Varieties
Different sources count from two to three species belonging to the genus Pushkin:
* Pushkinia proleskovaya, or Pushkinia proleskovidnaya (lat. Puschkinia scilloides) - decorates the world with bluish-white flowers forming a racemose inflorescence. Two fleshy leaves appear at the same time as flower buds.
* Pushkinia peshmenii (lat. Puschkinia peshmenii) - from each bulb, one or two green linear leaves with a length of 13 to 22 centimeters appear on the surface of the earth. A fairly open raceme inflorescence has two to nine flowers. The height of the pollen is equal to the length of the leaves, or slightly less. Individual flowers have short pedicels and bend downward. Six greenish perianth lobes are fused at the base, but diverge in the upper part in the form of petals. This species grows on the rocky slopes of southeastern Turkey.
* Pushkinia hyacinth (lat. Puschkinia hyacinthoides), which some botanists consider a subspecies of Pushkinia proleskova, calling it a Latin name -
Puschkinia scilloides var. hyacinthoides β¦ The flower arrows of this species are strong, bearing dense inflorescences formed by pale bluish funnel-shaped flowers. One bulb is capable of surprising flower growers, releasing three to four peduncles.
Usage
Plants of the Pushkinia genus will decorate the flower garden with their picturesque inflorescences and fleshy leaves in early spring, when other plants are just beginning to wake up.
