ORNITHOGALUM NARBONENSE

Family and Genus:- See- HYACINTHACEAE

Common Names:- Southern star-of-Bethlehem

Homotypic Synonyms:- Loncomelos narbonense, Ornithogalum pyramidale

subsp. narbonense, Ornithogalum pyrenaicum subsp. narbonense,

Parthenostachys narbonensis.

Meaning:- Ornithogalum (Gr) Bird-milk, a name used by the Greek physician and

botanist Dioscorides for plants yielding bird-lime.

Narbonense (L) From Narbonne, Languedoc-Rousillon, S. France.

General description:- Bulbous medium perennial.

Bulb:-

1) Large, broadly ovoid.

Scape:-

1) Solitary, erect, rather stout, 40-100 cm tall.

Leaves:-

1) 4-6 in a basal rosette, simple, several, suberect, usually persistent at anthesis,

linear, 6-15 mm wide, shorter than the scape.

Flowers:-

1) Raceme, elongate-cylindrical, lax, usually 30-50-flowered.

2) Pedicels, patent to erecto-patent at anthesis, 15-30 mm.

3) Bract, shorter than the pedicel.

4) Perianth segments, 11-16 mm, oblong-lanceolate, milky-white above, with a

green stripe beneath, connivent but remaining ± flat after anthesis.

5) Filaments, flat, ± connivent, narrowed above into a cusp bearing the yellow

anther.

6) Style, 4 mm, equalling or shorter than the truncate ovary.

7) Ovary, (2·5-)3·5-5 mm; ovoid-lanceolate.

Fruit:-

1) Capsules, narrowly ovoid to ellipsoid, with 3 valves.

Key features:-

1) Ovary, (2·5-)3·5-5 mm; ovoid-lanceolate.

2) Style, more than 3·5 mm, usually longer than ovary, filiform throughout.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Fallow terraces, open woodland, dry grassland and disturbed habitats. 0-

1200 m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton