Leopoldia comosa, Purple Grape Hyacinth, Tassel Hyacinth,
Hebrew: מצילות מצוייצות, Arabic: بصل الزيز

Scientific name:		Leopoldia comosa (L.) Parl.
Synonym name:		Hyacinthus comosus L.
Common name:		Purple Grape Hyacinth, Tassel Hyacinth, Tufted Grape Hyacinth, Hairy Muscari, Edible Muscari
Hebrew name:		מצילות מצוייצות
Arabic name:		بصل الزيز
Family:		Liliaceae, שושניים

Life form:		Geophyte
Stems:		Flower stem 18-35 cm high
Leaves:		Rosette, simple, linear, entire margins
Inflorescence:		Flowers arranged in a spike or raceme
Flowers:		Cream, purple; tuft of bright violet, blue or pinkish sterile flowers at the top of the raceme
Fruits / pods:		Loculicidal capsules; (bulbs reproduce offsets)
Flowering Period:		February, March, April
Habitat:		Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:		Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:		Med - Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:		Ephemeral

Derivation of the botanical name: Leopoldia, in honour of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1797 – 1870). comosa, with long hair growing in tufts, in Pliny, 'with many leaves'. Hyacinthus, named for Hyakinthios, a young prince of Sparta, loved by Apollo, who died after being struck on the head by a discus. The hyacinth flower sprouted where his blood fell. The Hebrew name: מצילות, mazilot, lifesaver, lifeguard. The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy. The standard author abbreviation Parl. is used to indicate Filippo Parlatore (1816 – 1877), an Italian botanist.