Flora of North America species comparison

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Galanthus

perce-neige, snowdrop
Habit Herbs, perennial, scapose, from brown, tunicate, ovoid to globose bulbs; offset bulbs often present.
Leaves

2(–3), basal, opposite, with sheathing blade, vernation flat and parallel, or convolute; nonsheathing blade erect to recurving at maturity, grayish green, linear-oblanceolate, glaucous; sheathing blade white, tubular, membranous, enclosing leaf bases and scape.
Scape

erect in flower, prostrate in fruit, green, solid.
Inflorescences

pendulous, 1-flowered, spathaceous;

spathe bracteate, membranous;

bracts 2, connate, split on 1 side.
Flowers

nodding, fragrant;

perianath 2.5 cm or shorter;

tepals 6, distinct, unequal;

outer tepals spreading, white, narrowly obovate to almost orbicular, larger than inner;

inner tepals overlapping, appearing tubular, green-spotted at apex only or apex and base, straight to semiorbicular, apex notched;

stamens 6, inserted at bases of tepals, distinct;

anthers basifixed, longer than filaments, bases lobed, apices tapered, dehiscense introrse, via terminal slits;

ovary inferior, green, 3-locular, globose, septal nectaries present;

style, white, unbranched, filiform;

stigma indistinct to minutely capitate;

pedicel wiry, short, slender.
Fruits

capsular, green, globose, fleshy, dehiscence loculicidal.
Seeds

18–36, light brown, 3.5 mm, oblong to obtuse, elaiosomes fleshy.
x

= 12.

Galanthus
Distribution
from USDA
Europe; sw Asia (Asia Minor, Iranian Caucasus, and Caspian Sea regions) [Introduced in North America; introduced and naturalized elsewhere]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 14–17 (2 in the flora).

A number of Galanthus species, especially G. nivalis, are commonly cultivated for their late- winter and early–spring flowers, which emerge through the snow. Species of Galanthus are sometimes confused with Leucojum, snowflakes, a spring-flowering relative. The plants of Leucojum are usually taller, bear 2–3 flowers per stem, and their tepals are all equal.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Inner tepals blotched with green at base and apex or with green stripe from base to apex; leaves convolute within basal sheath.
G. elwesii
1. Inner tepals blotched with green at apex only; leaves flat and parallel within basal sheath.
G. nivalis
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 280. Authors: Gerald B. Straley†, Frederick H. Utech.
Parent taxa Liliaceae
Subordinate taxa
G. elwesii, G. nivalis
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 288. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 140. (1754)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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