| Actual Image
Drooping Star-of-bethlehem for ULLA (66)
boreocypriensis
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4110 W: 156 N: 5317]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (14174) | Ornithogalum nutans (Drooping Star-of-bethlehem) [in Turk. Ak Yıldız]
Today, I would like to dedicate this capture of this beautiful and atractive flower to one of our heartfelt and experienced friend in TN, Ulla Kruys (uleko). I hope you can like this Ulla:)!
A close-up shot also added in WS
Cheers,
Bayram
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The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe, the Near East and southern Africa belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae (order: Liliales). There are some species native to other areas such as the Caucasus. 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. Because of their star-shaped flowers, they are named for the Star of Bethlehem. "Yellow star-of-Bethlehem" refers to plants of a different genus, Gagea. 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 and cardenolides, which are toxic.
Drooping Star-of-bethlehem (O. nutans) is native to southeastern Europe and the Near East. However, this attractive species is commonly cultivated and has naturalized, outside its native range, for example in North America.
Stems - From bulbs. Aerial stems to +40cm long (tall), erect, herbaceous, terete, green, glabrous, simple, single from the base.
Leaves - Mostly near the base of the plant and in a rosette, glabrous, flat but typically somewhat folded, green, to +45cm long, +1cm broad, linear and grass-like, succulent, with parallel veins.
Inflorescence - Terminal raceme. Pedicels to +1cm long in flower, glabrous, ascending in bud, nodding in flower. Each pedicel subtended by a scarious attenuate bract. Bracts brownish, glabrous, to -4cm long, 1cm broad at the base.
Flowers - Tepals 6, spreading. glabrous, +/-3cm long, +/-8mm broad, white with a green midstripe, acute, oblong-lanceolate, distinct. Stamens 6, erect, connivent around the style. Filaments compressed, white, to 1.5cm long, 3-4mm long. Some (3) of the filaments expanded beyond the anthers with two erect appendages. Anthers pale yellow to white, to +5mm long, 2mm broad. Ovary dark green, glabrous, ovoid, 3-ribbed, 5mm long in flower, 3mm in diameter, 3-locular, placentation axile, ovules many. Style white, 7-8mm long, glabrous, with 2 vertical grooves.
Flowering - April - May.
References:
1. Missouri plants
2. Wikipedia |
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