Sternbergia vernalis (Mill.) Gorer & J.H.Harvey
From: Mathews (1983) as "S. fischeriana". Permission has been granted both by the publisher and the author.
S. vernalis (Mill.) Gorer & J.H.Harvey, Plantsman 10: 204 (1989). Typus:
Amaryllis vernalis Mill., Gard. Dict. ed. 8: 10 (1768).
Oporanthus fischerianus Herbert (1837). Typus: USSR, Azerbaijan, ‘circa castellum Agh-oglan provinciae Karabagh’, Fischer (specimens in Kew and Leningrad).
S. fischeriana (Herbert) Ruprecht in Regel, Gartenfi. 17:100, t.576 (1868).
BULB about 2.5-3.5 cm diameter. LEAVES 4-7, strap-like, appearing before the flowers, flat, not or scarcely keeled, 6-12 mm wide, usually dull greyish-green. SCAPE 3-15 (rarely to 25) cm long at flowering time. SPATHE 2.5-4.5 cm long. FLOWER sessile or on a short pedicel, pale yellow; tube 3-5 (rarely more) mm long segments oblanceolate, 2-3.5 cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm wide. SEEDS with a large fleshy aril.
Flowers between February and March.
Iran, Iraq, Kashmir, ?Syria, south and south west Turkey, USSR (Transcaucasus).
In scrub and edge of woods in stony ground, sea level to 1,700 metres.