Acis rosea, known as the rose snowflake,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Corsica and Sardinia.[1] Unlike most members of the genus Acis, it has pink rather than white flowers. It is grown as an ornamental plant but requires protection from frost.
| Acis rosea | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Amaryllidoideae |
| Genus: | Acis |
| Species: | A. rosea
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| Binomial name | |
| Acis rosea (F.Martin bis) Sweet[1]
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description edit
Acis rosea is a small bulbous perennial, growing up to 12 cm tall. The grey-green leaves are narrow and usually appear after the flowers. Flowering occurs in autumn. The flowers are small, 5–9 mm long, and have pink tepals – most other species of Acis have white tepals. The pedicels (flower stalks) are short, 1–5 mm long. There are two spathes.[2][3]
Taxonomy edit
Acis rosea was first described in 1804 by F. Martin, as Leucojum roseum. In 1829, Robert Sweet transferred it to Acis.[1] However, Acis was not accepted by most botanists, who continued to use a broadly circumscribed Leucojum.[2][3] Acis was reinstated in 2004, after it was determined on morphological and molecular grounds that the broadly defined genus Leucojum was paraphyletic.[4]
Distribution and habitat edit
Acis rosea is native to the two western Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sardinia. It is found in rocky ground, dry pastures and sandy places.[2][3]
Cultivation edit
Acis rosea is cultivated as an ornamental bulb. As it is not frost-hardy, it is usually grown in a bulb frame or alpine house.[2][3]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Acis rosea", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2017-12-06
- ^ a b c d e Grey-Wilson, Christopher; Mathew, Brian & Blamey, Marjorie (1981), Bulbs : the bulbous plants of Europe and their allies, London: Collins, ISBN 978-0-00-219211-8, p. 135 (as Leucoium roseum)
- ^ a b c d Mathew, Brian (1987), The Smaller Bulbs, London: B.T. Batsford, ISBN 978-0-7134-4922-8, pp. 120–121 (as Leucojum roseum)
- ^ Lledó, Ma D.; Davis, A.P.; Crespo, M.B.; Chase, M.W. & Fay, M.F. (2004), "Phylogenetic analysis of Leucojum and Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) based on plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal spacer (ITS) DNA sequences and morphology", Plant Systematics and Evolution, 246 (3–4): 223–243, doi:10.1007/s00606-004-0152-0, S2CID 43826738, retrieved 2017-12-04