A historical survey is given showing the changes of what belonged to the genera Scilla L., Hyacinthus L. and Ornithogalum L. during the centuries. Many efforts have been made to find a natural system and to enlighten the phylogeny. According to karyological and morphological characters the species of the extensive genus Scilla L. form related groups all of which have been confirmed by DNA sequencing data. Therefore it is very reasonable to address these groups as genera. The Scilla of the ancient Greeks and Romans and some relative genera form the subfamily Urgineoideae SPETA subfam. nova. The genera Urginea STEINH., Drimia JACQ., Thuranthos WRIGHT, Charybdis SPETA nom. novum, Rhadamanthus SALISB., Fusifilum RAF., Rhadamanthopsis (OBERM.) SPETA stat. novus, Igidia SPETA gen. novum, Ebertia SPETA gen. novum, Urginavia SPETA gen. novum, Tenicroa RAF., Urgineopsis COMPTON are dealt with. The Urgineoideae are clearly distinct from the Ornithogaloideae SPETA subfam. nova and the Hyacinthoideae LINK. Most species of Scilla s. l. belong to the Hyacintheae DUMORT. Scilla L. s. str. (= S. bifolia-relationship and Chionodoxa BOISS.), Schnarfia SPETA gen. novum (= S. messeniaca-rel.), Zagrosia SPETA gen. novum (= S, persica-rel.), Nectaroscilla PARL. (= S, hyacinthoides-rel.), Chouardia SPETA. gen. novum (= S. litardierei-rel.), Fessia SPETA gen. novum (= S. hohenackeri- and S. bisotunensis-rel.), Pfosseria SPETA gen. novum (= S. bithynica-rel.), Othocallis SALISB. (= S. siberica-rel.), Prospero SALISB. (= S. autumnalis-rel.), Hyacinthoides MEDICUS (= S. non-scripta-rel.), Tractema RAF. (= S. verna-rel.), Oncostema RAF. (= S. peruviana-rel.), Autonoe (WEBB & BERTH.) SPETA stat. novus (= S. haemorrhoidalis-rel,), Barnardia LINDLEY (= S. scilloides-rel.), while Ledebouria ROTH (= S. hyacinthoides-rel.), Schizocarphus MERWE (= S. nervosa-rel.), Resnova MERWE, Avonsera SPETA gen. novum, Merwilla SPETA gen. novum and Pseudoprospero SPETA gen. novum belong to the Massonieae BAKER. The South American genus Oziroe RAF, forms the subfamily Oziroeoideae SPETA subfam, nova. The North American genus Camassia LINDLEY belongs to the Chlorogaloideae SPETA subfam. nova. Because of the new genera 128 new combinations for specific names were necessary.
