Leopoldia is a genus — or subgenus of Muscari (treated as Muscari subg. Leopoldia) — of bulbous perennial plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, order Asparagales. The group is widespread around the Mediterranean Basin and neighboring regions, from the Canary Islands in the west to Iran in the east.
Plants in this group are typically taller than other members of Muscari and bear more open spikes or racemes of flowers, with individual florets spaced further apart. The lower, fertile flowers are relatively long, often urn-shaped or tubular, and coloured white, yellow, green, or brown — never blue. They have characteristic "shoulders" near the mouth, which is smaller than the body of the flower and rimmed by small teeth formed by the fused tepal tips; the colour of these teeth is a key feature for species identification. At the tip of the raceme there is usually a conspicuous tuft of bright violet, blue, or pink sterile flowers, giving several species a distinctive bicoloured appearance. Like other grape hyacinths, Leopoldia species grow from bulbs and are generally spring-flowering.
The taxonomic history of the name is unusually complex. In 1819 William Herbert first used Leopoldia as a provisional name for what he later called Hippeastrum (South American amaryllids). In 1845, Filippo Parlatore independently applied the same name to a segregate group within Muscari. In 1970, Fabio Garbari and Werner Greuter successfully petitioned for Parlatore's application to be conserved and Herbert's to be rejected, making Leopoldia Parl. a nomen conservandum. Molecular phylogenetic work has since shown that Leopoldia as a genus is nested inside Muscari, which supports its current treatment as a subgenus rather than a separate genus. As of 2025, Plants of the World Online treats Leopoldia as a synonym of Muscari.
The best-known species is Leopoldia comosa (tassel grape hyacinth, syn. Muscari comosum), whose bulbs have long been harvested as food across the Mediterranean, and which is listed in the Ark of Taste catalogue of heritage foods.
Etymology
The genus name Leopoldia was first proposed by William Herbert in 1819, though its current botanical application derives from Filippo Parlatore's 1845 usage for a group of Muscari relatives. The name is presumed to honour Leopold, though sources do not specify which Leopold; the conserved name Leopoldia Parl. was formally adopted in 1970.
Distribution
Leopoldia is broadly distributed around the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent lands, ranging from the Canary Islands in the west through the Iberian Peninsula, southern Europe, North Africa, and the Levant to Iran in the east. Many species are associated with rocky hillsides, garrigue, and grassland habitats typical of the Mediterranean climate zone.
Taxonomy Notes
The genus has an intricate nomenclatural history: the name Leopoldia was published twice independently — by William Herbert in 1819 for New World amaryllids (later renamed Hippeastrum) and by Filippo Parlatore in 1845 for a Mediterranean Muscari segregate. In 1970, Garbari and Greuter secured conservation of Parlatore's usage under the ICBN, making Leopoldia Parl. a nomen conservandum. Molecular phylogenetics has shown that Leopoldia sensu stricto is nested within Muscari, and a 2023 study placed 29 Muscari species in M. subg. Leopoldia. Plants of the World Online (as of September 2025) treats the group as a synonym of Muscari rather than a separate genus.
Cultural Uses
Bulbs of Leopoldia comosa (syn. Muscari comosum) have been eaten around the Mediterranean for centuries. In Iran they are pickled under the name moosir (موسیر) and used in shallot yogurt; in Greece they are known as volvoi (βολβοί, meaning "bulbs"); in the Basilicata and Apulia regions of southern Italy they go by lampascioni, lampasciuni, or lamponi. The food is included in the Slow Food Ark of Taste catalogue as a heritage product.
