Species name :

Scilla sicula Tineo
Published in Tineo ex Guss., Fl. Sic. Syn. 2: 813 (1845)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Scilla peruviana var. sicula

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [PlantList] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life ]

Plant Family :

Asparagaceae Juss. (=Liliaceae) (The Asparagus Family)
32 species from the Asparagaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Sicilian Squill

Maltese name(s) :

Għansal ikħal

Status for Malta :

Subendemic. Found in Malta and neighbouring territories such as in south Sicily, Lampedusa, Pantelleria, etc.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common     Frequent     Scarce     Rare     Very rare     Extinct

Growth form :

Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: GEOPHYTE (bearing underground bulbs, rhizomes, stolons, etc.)
Germination [info]: Monocotyledon

Legal Protection [link]:

Protected by law: schedule VI of legal notice LN311/2006. (strictly protected species)

Red List (1989) :

This species has a threatened status and is listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

Mar-Apr

Colour of Flowers:

Blue, Violet and Lilac

Remarks :

This species was thought to be rare in Malta, but it is being found in several sites as small patches in garigue or rocky valley sides both in Malta and in Gozo. In some areas like Ta' Cenc, Ta' Kuljat hill and Manikata, it forms large and extensive populations. Therefore it should be considered as a scarce plant but not rare in Malta.

Habitat in Europe:

Data will be available in the next update of this website.

Preferred habitat in Malta:

Data will be available in the next update of this website.

Botanical Description:

with pedicels 40-60 mm, equalling the bracts, sparsely ciliate leaves, and perianth-segments whitish or violet;

Distributional range:

from Calabria, Sicilia and Malta,

Distributional map in Europe
and the Mediterranean region (2018):

Occurrences in Europe and the Mediterranean region.
(Euro+Med Checklist, 2017) - Country codes

Ag Co Eg Hs It Li Lu Ma Sa Si Tn [Ca]