2. Muscari comosum (L.) Mill. (grape-hyacinth,
tassel-hyacinth)
Map
427
Aerial stems 30–70 cm long. Leaves 20–40 cm long, 8–20 mm wide, flat.
Inflorescences open, the flowers well spaced. Sterile, terminal flowers
several, spreading, with stalks 6–25 mm long and blue perianth 2–4 mm long.
Fertile flowers with stalks 2–5 mm long at flowering, elongating in fruit, the
perianth 6–9 mm long, narrowly urn-shaped to tubular, greenish brown. 2n=18.
April–May.
Introduced, known only from a single site in Lincoln County (native of Europe
and Africa, widely cultivated, and naturalized sporadically in the eastern
U.S.). Disturbed areas of sandstone glades; to be expected in other disturbed
areas.
Although Steyermark collected this species in 1933 on a glade near Foley and
determined it correctly, he did not include it as a member of the flora. The
population was still thriving in 1996, when it was rediscovered by Bruce
Schuette.