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.