Ornithogalum
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The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) 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 numerous members of the genus, of which O. umbellatum is perhaps the best-known:
- 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. thyroides (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.
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[edit] Other species
Other species of Ornithogalum include:
- O. britteniae[3]
- Ornithogalum neurostegium
- O. canadense
- O. clanwilliamae-gloria
- O. conicum
- O. cooperi
- O. flaccidum
- O. fragrans
- O. graminifolium
- O. imbricatum
- O. strictum
"Yellow star-of-Bethlehem" refers to plants of a different genus. See Gagea.
[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.
- ^ 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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