Camassia scilloides (Wild hyacinth)

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Camassia scilloides (Raf.) Cory

Wild hyacinth, Atlantic camas, southern wild hyacinth

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Asparagaceae	Agaves, asparagus, hyacinths, and others
Genus	Camassia	From native American word Camas, for “sweet,” in reference to the importance of this plant as a food source
Species	scilloides	Resembling genus Scilla, a genus in the Lily family

About plant names...

These members of the lilly family are native to eastern North America.

Identification: Wild hyacinths grow to heights of 24" (60 cm). Leaves are long (to 15" (38 cm)) and narrow (less than ½" (1.3 cm)), clustered around the base. They are dull green on the top, shinier and deeper on the bottom. Flowers are arranged in conical clusters atop leafless stems. Each flower has six pale blue petals (technically tepals). The photo at right is too brightly colored to be wild—it is probably a cultivar.

Online References:

Missouriplants.com

Illinois Wildflowers

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The Vanderbilt University Bioimages web site

Wildflowers of the United States

The University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

EFloras

Camassia esculenta (Raf.) Cory

Quamasia hyacinthina (Raf.) Britton

Camassia scilloides description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.

1 · 8/27/2007 · Shore Acres State Park, Cape Arago, Oregon
≈ 9 × 6" (24 × 16 cm) ID is uncertain

Range:

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