Ornithogalum

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Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum narbonense
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
clade: Angiosperms
clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Ornithogalum
L.
Species

See text.

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

  1. ^ a b "Ornithogalum Linnaeus". Flora of North America. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=123199. 
  2. ^ "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. 
  3. ^ International Flower Bulb Centre: Ornithogalum
  4. ^ 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


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