Not to be semantically confused with : Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum) [a plant with similar name]
Frequently mis-named as: Boissier's Glory-of-the-Snow (Scilla luciliae) which has similarly pale-blue 'petals' which merge into white at the inner, but that usually has but 1 or 2 flowers (rather than 4-12 for Glory-of-the-Snow) and has longer 'petals' 12-20mm (as opposed to 10-15mm for Glory-of-the-snow).
Easily mistaken for : Lesser Glory-of-the-Snow (Scilla sardensis) but the flowers are wholly bright-blue and with slightly more flowers, 6-16 as opposed to the 4-12 for Glory-of-the-Snow)
There are several other similar plants in both Scilla proper and in the former Chionodoxa genera that resemble Glory-of-the-Snow to various degrees. The distinction between Glory-of-the-Snows and Squills is that Glory-of-the-Snows have the sexual organs within a short, white proximal tube or corolla in the centre of the flower which protrudes. The filaments converge and the anthers within it barely protrude much. Scillas, on the other hand, have no such central corolla and the filaments splay out.
No relation to : Chilean Glory-flower (Eccremocarpus scaber), Common Morning-glory (Ipomoea purpurea), Crimson-Glory-Vine (Vitis coignetiae), Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum), Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) or Snowdon Lily (Gagea serotina) [plants with similar names belonging to differing families].
Glory-of-the-Snow is the most common of a series of differing Glory-of-the-Snows which are all introduced and naturalised plants grown in parks and gardens and grassy verges, from where it can spread or escape as garden throw-outs.
Hybridises with : Alpine Squill (Scilla bifolia) to produce Scilla x allenii (which was formerly called X Chinoscilla allenii until taxonomists realised that the two parents are in the same genus (Scilla) so that particular Inter-Genera Hybrids (which in reality should not happen as a matter of definition) was banished.
HOMO-ISO-FLAVONOIDS
Glory-of-the-Snow is toxic to livestock and humans containing high quantities of HomoIsoFlavonoids which have anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties. The HomoIsoFlavonoids found in Glory-of-the-Snow are as 3-Benzyl-4-Chromone, 3-Benzyl-3-Hydroxy-4-Chromanone and various variations on those as well as the Scillascillin -type of HomoIsoFlavonoids.
As well as the Homo-Iso-Flavonoids shown here, Glory-of-the-Snow contains several others similar to these. However, this particular Scilla species has not been much studied for secondary metabolites.
The Scillascillen-type of Homo-Iso-Flavonoids are very unusual compounds for plants, containing a cyclo-butane ring (the square). The cyclo-butane ring is joined at a single point making these compounds spiro compounds (meaning they have a twist at that point, not that they can continually revolve). Many species of Scilla and other genera belonging to the same family (Asparagaceae) contain a great variety of slightly differing compounds with this 6,6,4,6,5-ringed skeleton. So many that your Author has not bothered to draw others and urges his readers to use their imagination.
|
|