Ornithogalum
| Ornithogalum | |
|---|---|
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| Ornithogalum narbonense | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| clade: | Angiosperms |
| clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Scilloideae |
| Genus: | Ornithogalum L. |
| Species | |
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See text. |
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Ornithogalum is a genus of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe and southern Africa[1] belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. There are some species native to other areas such as the Caucasus.[2] Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters of star-shaped white flowers striped with green. There are about 150 species, of which the best known are O. umbellatum, O. saundersii, O. arabicum and O. thyrsoides. [3]
- O. arabicum (Star-of-Bethlehem)
- O. dubium (Sun Star)
- O. longibracteatum (Pregnant Onion/False Sea Onion)
- O. maculatum (Snake Flower)
- O. narbonense (Pyramidal Star-of-Bethlehem)
- O. nutans (Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem)
- O. pyrenaicum (Bath Asparagus/Prussian Asparagus/Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem)
- O. umbellatum (Common Star-of-Bethlehem)
- O. thyrsoides (Chincherinchee)
Because of its star-shaped flowers, it is named for the Star of Bethlehem that appeared in the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus.
Other species of Ornithogalum include:
- O. britteniae[4]
- O. neurostegium
- O. canadense
- O. clanwilliamae-gloria
- O. conicum
- O. cooperi
- O. flaccidum
- O. fragrans
- O. graminifolium
- O. imbricatum
- O. saundersii Giant chincherinchee
- O. strictum
Ornithogalum saundersii (syn. O. saundersiae) was named after Charles Saunders
[edit] Toxicity
Some of the plants in the genus are poisonous, and have been known to kill grazing animals. Others are edible and used as vegetables. These flowers' bulbs contain alkaloids[citation needed] and cardenolides,[1] which are toxic.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Ornithogalum Linnaeus". Flora of North America. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=123199.
- ^ "Ornithogalum L.". Ornamental Plants From Russia And Adjacent States Of The Former Soviet Union. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=120&taxon_id=123199.
- ^ International Flower Bulb Centre: Ornithogalum
- ^ AP Dold (2003). "The rediscovery of Ornithogalum britteniae (Hyacinthaceae) and an amendment to the description". South African Journal of Botany 69 (4): 500–504. http://www.ajol.info/viewarticle.php?id=12306&jid=118&layout=abstract
[edit] External links
Media related to Ornithogalum at Wikimedia Commons
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