Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Scilloideae
Genus:	Hyacinthoides
Species:	H. non-scripta
Binomial name
Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouard ex Rothm.
Synonyms [1]
Hyacinthus non-scriptus L. Scilla festalis Salisb. (nom. illeg.) Scilla nutans Sm. in Sowerby & Smith (nom. illeg.) Scilla non-scripta (L.) Link & Hoffmanns. Endymion nutans Dumort. (nom. illeg.) Agraphis nutans Link. (nom. illeg.) Endymion non-scriptus (L.) Garcke Hyacinthus cernuus L. Scilla cernua (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link Endymion cernuus (L.) Dumort.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta /ˌhaɪəsɪnˈθɔɪdiːz nɒnˈskrɪptə/ (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant found in Atlantic areas from the north-western part of the Iberian Peninsula to the British Isles, and also frequently used as a garden plant. It is known in English as the common bluebell or simply bluebell, a name which is used in Scotland to refer to the harebell, Campanula rotundifolia. In spring, H. non-scripta produces a nodding, one-sided inflorescence of 5–12 tubular, sweet-scented violet–blue flowers, with strongly recurved tepals, and 3–6 long, linear, basal leaves.

H. non-scripta is particularly associated with ancient woodland where it may dominate the understorey to produce carpets of violet–blue flowers in "bluebell woods", but also occurs in more open habitats in western regions. It is protected under UK law, and in some other parts of its range. A related species, H. hispanica has also been introduced to Britain and Ireland and hybridises with H. non-scripta to produce intermediates known as H. × massartiana.