About Fritillaria graeca Boiss. & Spruner
Fritillaria graeca is a European plant species belonging to the family Liliaceae. It is native to the Balkans, specifically Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Greece. Some older literature records this species from Serbia, but all such collections correspond to the former variety Fritillaria graeca var. gussichiae, which is now treated as a separate species, Fritillaria gussichiae. Each stem of Fritillaria graeca bears a single small bell-shaped flower marked with red and white stripes. It blooms between April and May, and grows to an approximate height of 25 centimeters. Two subspecies are recognized: Fritillaria graeca subsp. graeca, which is found in eastern and southern Greece, including Crete; and Fritillaria graeca subsp. thessala (Boiss.) Rix, which occurs in Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and northern Greece. Formerly included taxa Fritillaria graeca var. gussichiae is now classified as the distinct species Fritillaria gussichiae, and Fritillaria graeca var. skorpili is now classified as the distinct species Fritillaria skorpili.
