Galanthus elwesii is a dwarf bulbous perennial to 30 cm, with broad, glaucous leaves and nodding, solitary white flowers in late winter, the outer segments to 2.5cm in length, inner ones flared at tip, with both basal and apical green marks that sometimes merge into one.
Similar species: Agaves, Aloes, Onions
By WildFlower
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Uploaded Nov 18, 2012. Captured Mar 23, 2010 12:12 in ulitsa Boyanski manastir, Sofia, Bulgaria.
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Both of these species have glaucous leaves and two green marks (or one very large green mark) on each inner perianth segment, and they can occur in similar localities and populations. Galanthus gracilis and G. elwesii are closely related, but they can be easily distinguished from one another by the type of vernation (the position of the leaves when they are in bud), which is applanate (leaves flat against each other) and supervolute (one leaf encircling the other), respectively. Other distinguishing characteristics, which are reliable but not totally discrete for each species, are the width of the leaves and the general dimensions of the plant: G. gracilis usually has narrow leaves and is generally of smaller dimensions than G. elwesii. The leaves of G. gracilis are frequently twisted but they can also be straight.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/164897/0 Posted 12 years ago, modified 7 years ago