The Iberian Species of Scilla (Subfamily Scilloideae, Family Asparagaceae) under Climatic Change Scenarios in Southwestern Europe

Abstract Six different morphotypes for the Scilla species in western Europe have been distinguished based on leaf width, length of the basal bract, number of flowers per inflorescence, and length of bulbs: (1) S. peruviana; (2) S. hyacinthoides; (3) S. lilio-hyacinthus; (4) S. ramburei + S. beirana; (5) S. verna + S. paui + S. odorata + S. merinoi + S. monophyllos; and (6) S. obtusifolia + S. numidica + S. autumnalis. Two biogeographic trends have been circumscribed in terms of monthly precipitation averages (the most discriminating parameter). One trend, characterized by lower annual regimes of precipitation and distributions around the Mediterranean basin, is represented by S. peruviana, S. hyacinthoides, S. obtusifolia, and S. numidica. The second trend, associated with higher average precipitation along the extreme western coast of Europe, is represented by the S. verna group and S. lilio-hyacinthus. Scilla autumnalis exhibits an intermediate environmental behaviour. Future climate change scenarios po...