Description
What little literature there is suggests that this is a subspecies of bulbocodium. The Kew website goes so far as to suggest total synonymy, though this seems hard to believe this as it is consistently a much smaller plant with smaller, shorter, narrower leaves and flowers which are half the size of all of the other bulbocodium forms and subspecies. In addition it is a different shape and colour.
As well as being a miniature (and this feature does not vary), the flowers are palest lilac to white, rather than purple, and lack any yellow in the throat.
It has a distinct geographical range also, being known only from the Cyclades where our seed stock is traceable to, in the hills surrounding Paradisa Bay on south western Amorgos. In short it has all of the necessary features needed to be a perfectly good species in its own right, when living material is examined (and not dried herbarium specimens).
Easily grown but in view of its small size and early spring flowering, this is best under glass where its precocious, miniature beauty can be appreciated. Well-drained loam soil, full sun.
