# Muscari comosum

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{{Short description|Species of plant in the asparagus family}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Leopoldia comosum 08-05-2010 (1).jpg
|parent = Muscari subg. Leopoldia
|taxon = Muscari comosum
|authority = ([L.](/source/Carl_Linnaeus)) [Mill.](/source/Mill.)
|synonyms = {{Specieslist
  |Bellevalia comosa|(L.) Kunth
  |Botrycomus vulgaris|Fourr.
  |Eubotrys comosa|(L.) Raf.
  |Hyacinthus comosus|L.
  |Leopoldia comosa|(L.) Parl.
  |Scilla comosa|(L.) Salisb.
  }}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name=powo>{{cite web |title=''Muscari comosum'' (L.) Mill. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:538476-1 |website=[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) |publisher=[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](/source/Royal_Botanic_Gardens%2C_Kew) |access-date=3 September 2025}}</ref>
}}

'''''Muscari comosum''''' (formerly '''''Leopoldia comosa''''') is a [perennial](/source/perennial) [bulb](/source/bulb)ous [flowering plant](/source/flowering_plant) in the family [Asparagaceae](/source/Asparagaceae). Usually called the '''tassel hyacinth'''<ref name=BSBI07>{{BSBI 2007 |accessdate=2014-10-17 }}</ref> or '''tassel grape hyacinth''',<ref>{{PLANTS|id=MUCO2|taxon=Muscari comosum|accessdate=28 January 2016}}</ref> it is one of a number of species and genera also known as grape hyacinths. It is found in rocky ground and cultivated areas, such as cornfields and vineyards<ref name=Polunin1969>{{Citation |last=Polunin |first=Oleg |year=1969 |title=Flowers of Europe : a field guide |location=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-217621-9 }}, p. 502 (under the name ''M. comosum'')</ref> in the [Mediterranean region](/source/Mediterranean_region),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/muscari-comosum.php |title=Leopoldia comosa (Muscari comosum) |publisher=first-nature.com |accessdate=September 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304030055 |title=Seed-propagated Muscari comosum (L.) Mill.: Effects of sowing date and growing conditions |publisher=V. Candido, D. Castronuovo, S. Fascetti, L. Rosati & G. Potenza |accessdate=September 29, 2020}}</ref><ref name=Mathew1987/> but has naturalized elsewhere. In Italy and Greece, the bulbs of this plant are eaten as a delicacy.

==Description==
Described by [Oleg Polunin](/source/Oleg_Polunin) as "a striking plant", it has a tuft of bright blue to violet-blue sterile flowers above brownish-green fertile flowers, which open from dark blue buds,<ref name=Polunin1969/> somewhat like that of a [Hanukkah menorah](/source/Hanukkah_menorah). This tuft gives rise to the name "[tassel](/source/tassel) hyacinth".<ref name=Mathew1987>{{Citation |last=Mathew |first=Brian |year=1987 |title=The Smaller Bulbs |location=London |publisher=B.T. Batsford |isbn=978-0-7134-4922-8 }}, p. 130 (under the name ''M. comosum'')</ref> The flower stem is {{Convert|20-60|cm|4=0|abbr=on}} tall; individual flowers are borne on long stalks, purple in the case of the sterile upper flowers. Mature fertile flowers are 5–10&nbsp;mm long with stalks of this length or more and are bell-shaped, opening at the mouth, where there are paler lobes. The linear leaves are 5–15&nbsp;mm wide, with a central channel.<ref name=Polunin1969/><ref name=Mathew1987/>

''Muscari comosum'' naturalizes easily and may become invasive. It has spread northwards from its original distribution, for example appearing in the British Isles in the 16th century.

In a [cultivar](/source/cultivar) called 'Monstrosum' or 'Plumosum', all the flowers have become branched purple stems.<ref name=Mathew1987/>

==Use as food==
[Pliny the Elder](/source/Pliny_the_Elder) noted that the bulbs were eaten with vinegar, oil, and [garum](/source/garum).<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Prance |editor1-first=Ghillean |editor2-last=Nesbitt |editor2-first=Mark |last1=Pieroni |first1=Andrea |author-link=Andrea Pieroni (ethnobotanist) |date=2005 |title=The Cultural History of Plants |publisher=Routledge |page=39 |isbn=0415927463}}</ref> Today, it is still eaten in some Mediterranean countries. In [Apulia](/source/Apulia) and [Basilicata](/source/Basilicata), it is cultivated and known as ''lampagioni'' or {{lang|it|lampascioni}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lampascione.it/ |title=Lampascioni Proprietà Controindicazioni Ricette Foto e Riflessioni |publisher=Lampascione.it |date= |accessdate=2018-10-09}}</ref> In [Greek](/source/Greek_language) it is called {{wikt-lang|grc|βολβός}}, βολβοί, βροβιοί ''volví, vrovií'' (ασκουρδαλάκοι in [Crete](/source/Crete)). In [Greece](/source/Greece) and especially on [Crete](/source/Crete), it is considered a delicacy and collected in the wild. The cleaned bulbs are boiled several times, pickled, and then kept in [olive oil](/source/olive_oil). The tassel hyacinth is mentioned in classical Hebrew literature under the name ''bulbūsīn''.<ref>[Tosefta](/source/Tosefta) ''Kil'ayim'' 3:11, ''et al.''</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Lampascioni.jpg|{{lang|it|Lampascioni sott'olio}}, made from bulbs of ''Muscari comosum'', is a gastronomic specialty of the Italian regions of [Basilicata](/source/Basilicata) and [Apulia](/source/Apulia).
File:Insalata di lampascioni.jpg|{{lang|it|Insalata di lampascioni}} from Basilicata, with scrambled eggs and [peperoni cruschi](/source/peperoni_cruschi)
File:Muscari comosum 1.jpg|Leaves of the plant
File:Muscari comosum Sturm40.jpg|Illustration from Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm) 1796. ''Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen'', plate 40.
File:M.c.Plumosum4.JPG|Ornamental cultivar 'Plumosum'
File:Muscari_à_toupet_à_Djerba.jpg|Clear flower view, Djerba island, Tunisia
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pages/muscari_comosum_tassel_hyacinth.htm Wild Flowers of the British Isles: M comosum]
* [http://www.paghat.com/muscaricomosum.html Paghat's Garden: M comosum]
* [http://www.paghat.com/muscariplumosum.html Paghat's garden: M comosum 'Plumosum']

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q163946|from2=Q22105713}}

comosum
Category:Flora of Europe
Category:Flora of North Africa
Category:Flora of Western Asia
Category:Root vegetables
Category:Plants described in 1753
Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

{{Asparagaceae-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Muscari comosum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscari_comosum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscari_comosum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.