140 Fritillaria meleagris L.

This species originates from the southern part of its present distribution area. It was introduced to Scandinavia during the 18th century. It has occasionally escaped from cultivations, int. al. from the Linnaeus' Garden in Uppsala. According to Fl. Eur. 5/1980, p. 31, there are two subspecies, viz. one lowland subsp. meleagris and one highland subsp. burnatii (Planch.) Rix in the Alps; cf. also Hegi Il (2nd ed.), p. 303. The closely related F. meleagroides Patrin in W. Asia is also tentatively mapped.