Sternbergia

''Sternbergia'' is a genus of Eurasian and North African plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.Waldstein, Franz de Paula Adam von & Kitaibel, Pál. 1804. Descriptiones et Icones Plantarum Rariorum Hungariae 2: 172

The genus comprises eight recognised species that show a broad distribution throughout the Mediterranean Basin as well as central and southwestern Asia.

''Sternbergia'' contains a number of species of flowering bulbs which rather resemble '' Crocus''.
These plants produce golden-yellow goblet-shaped flowers borne on stalks some way above the ground that open during the autumn or early winter.
The flower is composed of six stamens and a single style attached to an inferior ovary.
Long, strap-like leaves may appear with the flowers or sometime after. The only two exceptions to this are '' S. vernalis'' and '' S. candida'' which flower in the spring, with ''S. candida'' producing striking white flowers.

The genus has gained notability due to the widespread use of one of its species, ''S. lutea'', as a garden plant. This species has been found in cultivation for several hundred years, and has become naturalised in many parts of northern Europe, well beyond its natural range.

''Sternbergia lutea'' was first described in 1601 by Clusius, who included the plants in the genus ''Narcissus''.
Carl Linnaeus in 1753 regarded them as part of '' Amaryllis''.
It was not until 1825 that the species was transferred to ''Sternbergia,''Ker Gawler, John Bellenden ex Sprengel, Curt Polycarp Joachim. 1825. Systema Vegetabilium, editio decima sexta 2: 57
in Latin using the generic name coined in 1804.
The genus was named in honor of Count Kaspar von Sternberg.

Species

, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognizes eight species:, search for "Sternbergia"

*''Sternbergia candida'' B.Mathew & T.Baytop - Turkey
*''Sternbergia clusiana'' (Ker Gawl.) Ker Gawl. ex Spreng., including ''S. grandiflora'' Boiss. ex Baker, ''S. latifolia'' Boiss. & Hausskn. ex Baker, ''S. macrantha'' (J.Gay) J.Gay ex Baker, ''S. sparffiordiana'' Dinsm., ''S. stipitata'' Boiss. & Hausskn. - Aegean Islands, Middle East
*''Sternbergia colchiciflora'' Waldst. & Kit., including ''S. alexandrae'' Sosn., ''S. citrina'' (Herb.) Ker Gawl. ex Schult. & Schult.f., ''S. etnensis'' (Raf.) Guss., ''S. exscapa'' Tineo in G.Gussone - southern + southeastern Europe from Spain to Ukraine; Morocco, Algeria, Caucasus, Middle East
*''Sternbergia lutea'' (L.) Ker Gawl. ex Spreng., including ''S. aurantiaca'' Dinsm., ''S. sicula'' Tineo ex Guss, ''S. greuteriana'' Kamari & R.Artelari - southern Europe from Spain to Balkans; Middle East, Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan; naturalized in North Africa
*'' Sternbergia minoica'' Ravenna Autumn daffodil - Crete
*'' Sternbergia pulchella'' Boiss. & Blanche in P.E.Boissier - Syria, Lebanon
*'' Sternbergia schubertii'' Schenk - İzmir Province in western Turkey
*''Sternbergia vernalis'' (Mill.) Gorer & J.H.Harvey, including ''S. fischeriana'' (Herb.) Roem. - Middle East, Caucasus, Central Asia

;formerly included
Three names have been coined using the name ''Sternbergia'' but referring to species now considered better suited to other genera ''( Colchicum, Narcissus and Zephyranthes).'' We provide links to help you find appropriate information.
* ''Sternbergia americana - Zephyranthes americana''
* ''Sternbergia caucasica - Colchicum trigynum''
* ''Sternbergia exigua - Narcissus cavanillesii''

References

External links

Pacific Bulb Society: Sternbergia

{{Taxonbar, from=Q337545

Amaryllidaceae genera
Amaryllidoideae