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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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 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]
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]
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]
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]