{{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.) 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 |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=3 September 2025}}</ref> }}

'''''Muscari comosum''''' (formerly '''''Leopoldia comosa''''') is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the family 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,<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 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. This tuft gives rise to the name "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 called 'Monstrosum' or 'Plumosum', all the flowers have become branched purple stems.<ref name=Mathew1987/>

==Use as food== Pliny the Elder noted that the bulbs were eaten with vinegar, oil, and 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 and 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 it is called {{wikt-lang|grc|βολβός}}, βολβοί, βροβιοί ''volví, vrovií'' (ασκουρδαλάκοι in Crete). In Greece and especially on 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. The tassel hyacinth is mentioned in classical Hebrew literature under the name ''bulbūsīn''.<ref>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 and Apulia. File:Insalata di lampascioni.jpg|{{lang|it|Insalata di lampascioni}} from Basilicata, with scrambled eggs and 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}}