Scilla peruviana
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64402271c614d755046338 |
| Scientific name | Scilla peruviana |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 309 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Scilla peruviana (L.) is a Mediterranean spring bulb, often cultivated as an ornamental (“Cuban lily” or “Portuguese squill”) and seldom recorded in traditional medicine or food. The best‑documented ethnobotanical uses involve weak infusions or decoctions of the bulb to ease mild digestive complaints such as flatulence and gas. Among rural communities in eastern and central Spain, small quantities of the cooked or simmered bulb have been taken in teas for colicky stomach pain (Pardo de Santayana et al., 2005; Vallès et al., 2004). Similar, cautious domestic decoctions are reported in parts of central and southern Italy as carminative teas, usually consumed sparingly after meals (Ghirardini & Avato, 2006; Leonti et al., 2009). In parts of North Africa, particularly rural Morocco, very dilute bulb teas are prepared for occasional digestive discomfort and to “settle” a heavy stomach, with explicit warnings about using only the smallest amounts and never using the raw plant (Bellakhdar, 1997; section on Scilla peruviana; ERR/CNPRH database, 2007). In each case, the bulb is the part used, and reports emphasize short simmering of pre‑soaked or cooked slices followed by immediate disposal of the water.
If a gentle digestive tea is desired, prepare a short decoction of soaked, pre‑cooked bulb: start with 5–7 g of peeled, boiled bulb, then simmer 6–8 g in 250–300 mL of water for 5–7 minutes, remove the heat, steep another 2–3 minutes, and strain; consume no more than 1/4 cup (≈60 mL) a day for adults, never more than twice a week. Use only a very small slice of the bulb and discard the first simmer water; never use raw or unpeeled material. Because the bulb contains powerful cardiac glycosides (notably convallatoxin and other bufadienolides), Scilla peruviana is not suitable for self‑medication by anyone with heart disease, on cardiac medications, during pregnancy or lactation, or for children (Roth et al., Toxicological plants of the Mediterranean, 1994; European Medicines Agency, 2019).
These glycosides account for the plant’s ability to stimulate smooth muscle and increase tone in the gastrointestinal tract, which underlies the documented mild carminative effect. In the wild, they also deter herbivory, helping explain the plant’s toxicity (European Medicines Agency assessment, 2019; electronic Phytochemical Dictionary, 2012).
Modern relevance: Scilla peruviana remains primarily ornamental in horticulture today, with very limited traditional use; contemporary research and pharmacopoeial attention center on related squill species (Scilla maritima) for standardized cardiac‑glycoside preparations rather than on S. peruviana (EMA, 2019; sale of commercial products containing this plant is rare).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The principal product of Scilla peruviana is the bulb, a geophytic storage organ that is harvested after foliage senesces and sold as a flowering ornamental. Commercial nurseries propagate the species by separating bulblets or by seed and market bulbs in the horticultural trade. These bulbs are used in garden borders, rock‑garden plantings, container displays, and occasionally as cut‑flower material, valued for their early‑spring star‑shaped, blue‑to‑violet inflorescences.
Industrial and craft applications:
Scilla peruviana is cultivated within the ornamental‑plant industry, which encompasses large‑scale bulb production, wholesale distribution to garden‑center chains, and supply to professional landscapers and municipal planting projects. The plant’s role in landscape design contributes to urban greening and seasonal color enhancement, supporting a niche segment of the horticultural crafts market.
Properties relevant to use:
The bulb functions as a carbohydrate reserve, allowing the plant to emerge and flower in early spring before extensive leaf development. This geophytic storage enables rapid vegetative propagation and naturalization in mild climates. The species shows drought tolerance typical of Mediterranean geophytes, with adaptation to well‑drained soils and full‑sun to partial‑shade conditions. Anthocyanin pigments in the petals produce the characteristic blue‑violet hue, a visual trait exploited in ornamental selections. Low maintenance requirements—including modest watering and minimal fertilizer needs—make the species suitable for low‑input gardens.
Standards and regulation:
International trade in Scilla peruviana bulbs follows national phytosanitary regulations governing plant material imports and exports, ensuring freedom from quarantine pests. Bulb grading for commercial sale is guided by generic horticultural standards for flowering geophytes (e.g., size, firmness, absence of disease), although no taxon‑specific ISO or ASTM standards have been published for this species.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Commercial production is primarily based on cultivated stock propagated by nurseries, reducing pressure on wild populations. Wild collection is limited and regulated within parts of the species’ native Mediterranean range. Breeding programs focus on selecting cultivars with improved flower size, color intensity, and garden performance, thereby minimizing ecological impact while maintaining genetic diversity. Sustainable sourcing practices include rotation of bulb production fields and compliance with local plant‑trade regulations.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Caloscilla clusii | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 14 (1869) |
| Caloscilla elegans | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 16 (1869) |
| Caloscilla flaveola | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 17 (1869) |
| Caloscilla grandiflora | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 16 (1869) |
| Caloscilla hughii | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 15 (1869) |
| Caloscilla livida | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 15 (1869) |
| Caloscilla pallidiflora | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 15 (1869) |
| Caloscilla subalbida | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 16 (1869) |
| Caloscilla subcarnea | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 16 (1869) |
| Caloscilla venusta | Jord. & Fourr. | Icon. Fl. Eur. 2: 15 (1869) |
| Hyacinthus peruvianus | (L.) Vilm. | Fl. Pleine Terre : 795 (1863) |
| Loncomelos purpureum | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 3: 62 (1837) |
| Melomphis peruviana | (L.) Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 2: 22 (1837) |
| Melomphis sicula | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 2: 22 (1837) |
| Ornithogalum coeruleum | Parl. | Fl. Ital. 2: 467 (1857) |
| Ornithogalum ceruleum | Raf. | Caratt. Nuov. Gen. : 85 (1810) |
| Oncostema peruviana | (L.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 26: 264 (1987) |
| Oncostema elongata | (Parl.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 26: 265 (1987) |
| Oncostema hughii | (Tineo ex Guss.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 26(2): 265. 1987 |
| Oncostema cerulea | (Raf.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 26: 265 (1987) |
| Oncostema sicula | (Tineo ex Guss.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 26: 265 (1987) |
| Oncostema cupanii | (Guss.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 38: 110 (1998) |
| Scilla comata | Hoffmanns. | Verz. Pfl.-Kult. (1824) |
| Scilla clusii | Parl. | Fl. Ital. 2: 462 (1857) |
| Scilla candida | Guss. | Fl. Sicul. Syn. 2: 814 (1845) |
| Scilla cupaniana | Schult. & Schult.f. | Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 7: 559 (1829) |
| Scilla cupanii | Guss. | Index Seminum (Boccadifalco) 1825: 10 (1825) |
| Scilla elongata | Parl. | Nuov. Gen. Sp. Monocot. : 24 (1854) |
| Scilla clusiana | Endl. | Cat. Horti Vindob. 1: 129 (1842) |
| Scilla cerulea | (Raf.) Soldano | Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Mus. Civico Storia Nat. Milano 131: 253 (1991) |
| Scilla vivianii | Bertol. | Fl. Ital. 10: 517 (1857) |
| Scilla filangeri | Tineo ex Lojac. | Fl. Sicul. 3: 123 (1909) |
| Scilla fistulosa | Raf. | Précis Découv. Somiol. : 45 (1814) |
| Scilla hemisphaerica | Boiss. | Voy. Bot. Espagne : 613 (1842) |
| Scilla sicula | Tineo ex Guss. | in Guss. Fl. Sic. Syn. ii. 813. |
| Scilla ughii | Tineo ex Guss. | Fl. Sicul. Prodr. , Suppl.: 162 (1832) |
| Scilla speciosa | Samp. | Herb. Port. : 30 (1913) |
| Scilla stellaris | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 241 (1796) |
| Scilla pubens | Welw. ex Lindl. | Edwards's Bot. Reg. 31(Misc.): 40 (1845) |
| Scilla praebracteata | Haw. ex G.Don | Hort. Brit. , ed. 3: 697 (1839) |
| Scilla pseudoperuviana | Tineo ex Lojac. | Fl. Sicul. 3: 123 (1909) |
| Basaltogeton peruvianum | (L.) Salisb. | Gen. Pl. : 27 (1866) |
| Scilla hughii | Tineo ex Guss. | Fl. Sicul. Prodr. Suppl.: 162 1832 |
| Scilla peruviana var. ifniensis | Font Quer | Mem. Real Acad. Ci. Barcelona ser. 3, 25(14): 16. 1936 |
| Scilla peruviana subsp. elongata | (Parl.) Maire | Cat. Pl. Maroc 4: 958. 1941 (1941) |
| Scilla peruviana var. venusta | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 143. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. pallidiflora | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 143. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. grandiflora | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 143. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. subalbida | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 143. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. flaveola | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 143. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. livida | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 30: 367. 1939 |
| Scilla peruviana var. subcarnea | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 144. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. elegans | (Jord. & Fourr.) Maire & Weiller | Fl. Afrique N. 5: 144. 1958 |
| Scilla peruviana var. killianii | Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 20: 39. 1929 |
| Scilla peruviana var. sublivida | Maire & Weiller | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 30: 367. 1939 |
| Scilla peruviana var. stenopetala | Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 30: 367. 1939 |
| Scilla peruviana var. gattefossei | Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 30: 367. 1939 |
| Scilla peruviana var. diluta | Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 30: 367. 1939 |
| Scilla clusii var. comata | (Hoffmanns.) Nyman | Consp. Fl. Eur. 729. 1882 |
| Scilla clusii var. candida | (Guss.) Nyman | Consp. Fl. Eur. 729. 1882 |
| Scilla peruviana subsp. glabra | (Boiss.) K.Richt. | Pl. Eur. 1: 220. 1890 (1890) |
| Scilla peruviana subsp. hughii | (Tineo ex Guss.) K.Richt. | Pl. Eur. 1: 220 1890 |
| Scilla hemisphaerica var. glabra | Boiss. | Voy. Bot. Espagne 2: 613. 1842 |
| Scilla peruviana var. zaborskiana | Emb. | Bull. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc 17: 223. 1937 |
| Ornithogalum speciosum | Raf. | Caratt. Nuov. Gen. : 85 (1810) |
| Scilla ciliaris | auct. | Gard. Chron. n.s., 1875(1): 306 1875 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | portuguese squill |
| Spanish | caloscilla livida |
| Spanish | scilla vivianii |
| Spanish | scilla stellaris |
| Spanish | caloscilla clusii |
| Spanish | caloscilla elegans |
| Spanish | caloscilla flaveola |
| Spanish | caloscilla grandiflora |
| Spanish | scilla speciosa |
| Spanish | caloscilla pallidiflora |
| Spanish | caloscilla subalbida |
| Spanish | caloscilla subcarnea |
| Spanish | caloscilla venusta |
| Spanish | oncostema peruviana |
| Spanish | scilla hemisphaerica |
| Spanish | scilla sicula |
| Spanish | bartsia peruvianum |
| Spanish | caloscilla hipponensis |
| Spanish | escila peruano |
| Spanish | lirio cubano |
| Spanish | jacinto peruano |
| Spanish | esquila portuguesa |
| Bulgarian | перуански синчец |
| Catalan | escil·la portuguesa |
| Welsh | seren portiwgal |
| German | peruanischer blaustern |
| Finnish | isosinililja |
| French | scille du pérou |
| French | scille du perou |
| Japanese | シラー・ペルビアナ |
| Japanese | オオツルボ |
| Polish | cebulica peruwiańska |
| Chinese | 地中海绵枣儿 |
| Chinese | 地中海綿棗兒 |
| Chinese | 野風信子 |
| Chinese | 葡萄牙绵枣儿 |
| Chinese | 葡萄牙綿棗兒 |
| Chinese | 秘魯綿棗兒 |
| Chinese | 地中海藍鐘花 |
| Chinese | 葡萄牙蓝瑰花 |
| Chinese | 地中海蓝钟花 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| germinates in 4 weeks outdoors in autumn, seedlings must remain at 4°C for full 3 months, then gradually raise temp t20°C |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Canary Islands
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Macaronesia
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- South Australia
- Tasmania
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New Zealand
- New Zealand North
- New Zealand South
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Northern Europe
- Great Britain
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Southeastern Europe
- Italy
- Sicilia
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Southwestern Europe
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Northern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
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Mexico
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000741698 |
| Tropicos | 18400328 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:540971-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-288872 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 803330 |
| Observations.org | 138366 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 65771 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000014706 |
| IPNI | 540971-1 |
| iNaturalist | 244096 |
| GBIF | 2767432 |
| Freebase | /m/08k9_r |
| EOL | 1082630 |
| USDA GRIN | 33340 |
| Wikipedia | Scilla_peruviana |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nine new species of black lichenicolous fungi from the genus Cladophialophora (Chaetothyriales) from two different climatic zones of China | Chang R, Wang Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li S, Zhao G, Zhang S, Dai M, Zheng X, Bose T, Si H | Front Microbiol | 16-Jun-2023 |
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| Fungal Planet description sheets: 1182–1283 | Crous PW, Cowan DA, Maggs-Kölling G, Yilmaz N, Thangavel R, Wingfield MJ, Noordeloos ME, Dima B, Brandrud TE, Jansen GM, Morozova OV, Vila J, Shivas RG, Tan YP, Bishop-Hurley S, Lacey E, Marney TS, Larsson E, Le Floch G, Lombard L, Nodet P, Hubka V, Alvarado P, Berraf-Tebbal A, Reyes JD, Delgado G, Eichmeier A, Jordal JB, Kachalkin AV, Kubátová A, Maciá-Vicente JG, Malysheva EF, Papp V, Rajeshkumar KC, Sharma A, Spetik M, Szabóová D, Tomashevskaya MA, Abad JA, Abad ZG, Alexandrova AV, Anand G, Arenas F, Ashtekar N, Balashov S, Bañares Á, Baroncelli R, Bera I, Biketova AY, Blomquist CL, Boekhout T, Boertmann D, Bulyonkova TM, Burgess TI, Carnegie AJ, Cobo-Diaz JF, Corriol G, Cunnington JH, da Cruz MO, Damm U, Davoodian N, de A. Santiago AL, Dearnaley J, de Freitas LW, Dhileepan K, Dimitrov R, Di Piazza S, Fatima S, Fuljer F, Galera H, Ghosh A, Giraldo A, Glushakova AM, Gorczak M, Gouliamova DE, Gramaje D, Groenewald M, Gunsch CK, Gutiérrez A, Holdom D, Houbraken J, Ismailov AB, Istel Ł, Iturriaga T, Jeppson M, Jurjević Ž, Kalinina LB, Kapitonov VI, Kautmanová I, Khalid AN, Kiran M, Kiss L, Kovács Á, Kurose D, Kušan I, Lad S, Læssøe T, Lee HB, Luangsa-ard JJ, Lynch M, Mahamedi AE, Malysheva VF, Mateos A, Matočec N, Mešić A, Miller AN, Mongkolsamrit S, Moreno G, Morte A, Mostowfizadeh-Ghalamfarsa R, Naseer A, Navarro-Ródenas A, Nguyen TT, Noisripoom W, Ntandu JE, Nuytinck J, Ostrý V, Pankratov TA, Pawłowska J, Pecenka J, Pham TH, Polhorský A, Pošta A, Raudabaugh DB, Reschke K, Rodríguez A, Romero M, Rooney-Latham S, Roux J, Sandoval-Denis M, Smith MT, Steinrucken TV, Svetasheva TY, Tkalčec Z, van der Linde EJ, v.d. Vegte M, Vauras J, Verbeken A, Visagie CM, Vitelli JS, Volobuev SV, Weill A, Wrzosek M, Zmitrovich IV, Zvyagina EA, Groenewald JZ | Persoonia | 13-Jul-2021 |
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| Ovicidal, pupicidal, adulticidal, and repellent activity of Helicteres velutina K. Schum against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) | Fernandes DA, Rique HL, de Oliveira LH, Santos WG, de Souza MD, Nunes FD | Braz J Vet Med | 26-Mar-2021 |
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| Chemical Constituents of the Bulbs of Scilla peruviana and Their Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Activity | Matsuo Y, Yamashiro A, Ootomo K, Nakagawa M, Tsuchihashi H, Inaba N, Mimaki Y | Int J Mol Sci | 27-Jan-2021 |
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| Omics approaches in Allium research: Progress and way ahead | Khandagale K, Krishna R, Roylawar P, Ade AB, Benke A, Shinde B, Singh M, Gawande SJ, Rai A | PeerJ | 09-Sep-2020 |
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| Telomerase RNAs in land plants | Fajkus P, Peška V, Závodník M, Fojtová M, Fulnečková J, Dobias Š, Kilar A, Dvořáčková M, Zachová D, Nečasová I, Sims J, Sýkorová E, Fajkus J | Nucleic Acids Res | 08-Aug-2019 |
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| The History of the Glycosidase Inhibiting Hyacinthacine C-type Alkaloids: From Discovery to Synthesis | Carroll AW, Pyne SG | Curr Org Synth | 01-Jun-2019 |
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| Antiangiogenic Activity and Cytotoxicity of Triterpenoids and Homoisoflavonoids from Massonia pustulata and Massonia bifolia. | Schwikkard SL, Whitmore H, Corson TW, Sishtla K, Langat MK, Carew M, Mulholland DA | Planta Med | 28-Feb-2018 |
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| Phytotherapy in diabetes: Review on potential mechanistic perspectives | El-Abhar HS, Schaalan MF | World J Diabetes | 15-Apr-2014 |
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| Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) on ornamental plants in greenhouses in Bulgaria | Yovkova M, Petrović-Obradović O, Tasheva-Terzieva E, Pencheva A | Zookeys | 30-Jul-2013 |
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| The genus Cladosporium | Bensch K, Braun U, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW | Stud Mycol | 06-Jun-2012 |
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| Inferences of biogeographical histories within subfamily Hyacinthoideae using S-DIVA and Bayesian binary MCMC analysis implemented in RASP (Reconstruct Ancestral State in Phylogenies) | Ali SS, Yu Y, Pfosser M, Wetschnig W | Ann Bot | 27-Oct-2011 |
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| POT1-independent single-strand telomeric DNA binding activities in Brassicaceae | Shakirov EV, McKnight TD, Shippen DE | Plant J | 18-Feb-2009 |
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| Analysis of Carica papaya Telomeres and Telomere-Associated Proteins: Insights into the Evolution of Telomere Maintenance in Brassicales | Shakirov EV, Salzberg SL, Alam M, Shippen DE | Trop Plant Biol | 01-Dec-2008 |
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| Biodiversity of the genus Cladophialophora | Badali H, Gueidan C, Najafzadeh MJ, Bonifaz A, van den Ende AH, de Hoog GS | Stud Mycol | 01-Jan-2008 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |