Ornithogalum narbonense

Ornithogalum narbonense
Ornithogalum narbonense
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
clade: Angiosperms
clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Ornithogalum
Species: O. narbonense
Binomial name
Ornithogalum narbonense
L.
Synonyms
  • Ornithogalum stachyoides Ait.
  • Ornithogalum arcuatum
  • Ornithogalum pyramidale subsp. narbonense

Ornithogalum narbonense, common names Narbonne Star-of-Bethlehem, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant with underground bulbs, belonging to the genus Ornithogalum of the Asparagaceae family. The Latin name Ornithogalum of the Genus, meaning "bird's milk", derives from the Greek, while the species name narbonense refers to the French town of Narbonne.

Contents

Description

Ornithogalum narbonense reaches on average 40–50 centimetres (16–20 in) of height, with a maximum of 70 centimetres (28 in). The bulbs are whitish and ovoid. The stems are erect and the long leaves are fleshy and lance-shaped, 8–15 millimetres (0.31–0.59 in) wide. The raceme is pyramidal, with 25-75 hermaphrodite flowers. Each flower has a long bract of 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) and six star-shaped milky white petals bearing a pale green central vein, while the buds are oval, with longitudinal green and white stripes. The six stamens have a white filament holding yellow anthers of 4 millimetres (0.16 in). The flowers are pollinated by insects. The flowering period extends from May through June.

Gallery

Inflorescence of Ornithogalum narbonense
Flowers of Ornithogalum narbonense
Close-up on a flower of Ornithogalum narbonense
Flowers of Ornithogalum narbonense
Flowers of Ornithogalum narbonense

Distribution

This species is present in the Mediterranean Basin, Turkey, Armenia and northwestern Iran.

Habitat

These plants grow in fields and grassy and dry areas, in waste ground and in rocky terrains. They can be found at an altitude of 0–1,400 millimetres (0–55 in) above sea level.

References

  • Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia - Edagricole – 1982 Vol. III, pg. 372

External links


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