Maritime Squill

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Maritime Squill
• red-squill
• sea-onion
• sea-squill
• squill
• sea squill

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Charybdis maritima
• Ornithogalum maritimum
• Squilla maritima
• Urginea maritima var. purpurascens
• Urginea maritima var. virescens
• Scilla maritima
• Urginea maritima

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Asparagaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Drimia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution primarily concentrated within the Mediterranean region. It can be found across several areas of Southwestern Europe, including the Balearic Islands. Furthermore, its presence extends to the coastal regions of both Portugal and Spain. Beyond the European continent, the species is also located in Northern Africa, specifically within Algeria. Together, these locations define its characteristic habitat in these warm maritime climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Drimia maritima is characterized by its ability to inhabit diverse topographical gradients, ranging from coastal environments up to montane zones. It thrives across a broad vertical distribution, occupying an elevational range that begins at 0 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. This wide altitudinal tolerance allows the species to persist in various microclimates, often favoring disturbed or open habitats where it can compete effectively within its established ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Drimia maritima is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a member of the cryptophyte life form, its vital organs are protected underground, a strategy that facilitates survival in its specific ecological niches. Specifically, the plant functions as a geophyte, relying on specialized underground storage organs to endure unfavorable environmental conditions and support regrowth during subsequent growing periods.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Drimia maritima is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit any parasitic behavior, remaining an independent organism. In terms of its ecological positioning, the plant is terrestrial rather than aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic. It maintains a relatively modest stature, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Drimia maritima is characterized by its specialized metabolic and morphological adaptations, most notably its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. This metabolic strategy dictates its resource acquisition and energy conversion processes within its specific ecological niche. Morphologically, the plant exhibits distinct foliar characteristics that support its physiological functions, featuring elliptic leaf forms. The leaves demonstrate significant dimensional variability, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 30 cm to a maximum of 60 cm. Furthermore, the leaf width is physiologically scaled between a minimum of 3 cm and a maximum of 10 cm, contributing to the overall surface area available for light interception and gas exchange.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

60 cm

Leaf length min:

30 cm

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Drimia maritima is characterized by a flowering period that typically commences in August and concludes in October. During this cycle, the plant produces green flowers arranged in a raceme inflorescence, with individual flower lengths ranging from 0 to a maximum of 1.2 cm. Upon successful pollination, the plant develops dry fruits containing seeds that exhibit a mean mass of 0.00598 g, with individual seed weights varying between a minimum of 0.00376 g and a maximum of 0.01032 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows an anemochorous syndrome, relying on wind for movement across its habitat.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

green

Flower length max:

1.2 cm

Flower length min:

0 cm

Flowering time :

Aug

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Inflorescence :

raceme

Seed mass max:

0.01032 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00598 g

Seed mass min:

0.00376 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Drimia maritima has 51 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cardiac Glycosides, Flavonoids, Anthocyanins, Cardiac glycoside, Proscillaridin A.

Cardiac Glycosides

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Flavonoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Anthocyanins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cardiac glycoside

1. Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Proscillaridin A

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Scillirubroside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug discovery technologies

Alkanes

1. BioMed research international

Amines

1. BioMed research international

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Bufadienolide

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Drimia maritima has 243 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiallergic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Cardiotonic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiallergic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international

Cardiotonic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of nephrology

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Drimia maritima has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include asthma, heart diseases.

Asthma

1. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

Heart diseases

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Preparations

Drimia maritima has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include MeOH extracts, bulbs, laūq, methanolic extract.

Meoh extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Bulbs

1. Fitoterapia

Laūq

1. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine

Methanolic extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences