bellevalia forniculata

Hamish Sloan hamish.sloan@virgin.net
Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:36:38 PST
Jane McGary wrote:
"Presumably it honors an acquaintance Belleval of the original describer of
the genus, Lapeyrouse. (I suppose the first species to be described was B.
romana.) The species epithet means 'small-arched' (fornicatus 'arched,
vaulted', and the -ul- is the diminutive) and must refer to the shape of
the flower."

Pierre Richer de Belleval (1564-1632) founded the Montpellier Botanic Garden in 1593.
For a while at least, Bellevalia were put into Hyacinthus, but have been separated out again.

Regards Hamish


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