Ornithogalum
(the old Greek name used by Dioscorides, from ornis, ornithos, a bird, and gala, milk; supposed to be so called because the flowers of some species are white as milk, or hens' eggs). Star of Bethlehem. ORD. Liliaceae. An extensive genus (about seventy species) of hardy, half-hardy, or greenhouse bulbous plants, natives of Europe, the Orient, and Africa, one being found in extra-tropical America. Flowers small or mediocre, disposed in elongated or sub-corymbose racemes; perianth six-parted at base, white or yellow, rarely fulvous, never red or rose-purple. Leaves linear, lorate, or subulate, fleshy-herbaceous or somewhat firm. Many of the species are decidedly pretty and interesting border flowers, of the easiest cultivation. The taller, strong-growing, hardy kinds are suitable for naturalising in the wild garden, &c., whilst others are good pot plants for cool conservatory decoration. Propagated by offsets. The species described below are hardy, except where otherwise stated; several of the greenhouse kinds, though, might fairly be called half-hardy.
O. anomalum (anomalous). fl. yellowish; raceme somewhat loose, thirty to forty-flowered; scape slender, terete, pale glaucous-green, 1 1/2ft. long. l. very frequently solitary, rarely twin, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 1/4in. thick, fleshy-herbaceous. Cape of Good Hope, 1862. Greenhouse. (Ref. B. 178.) O. arabicum (Arabian).* fl. white, with a black centre, having a distinct, aromatic odour, large; raceme six to twelve-flowered, round or deltoid, 3in. to 5in. long and broad; scape 1ft. to 2ft. long. Summer. l. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad. Spain to Greece and Egypt, 1629. This very showy and distinct species does not flower so freely in the open air as do most others. (B. M. 728; B. M. 3179 and B. R. 906, under name of O. corymbosum.) O. biflorum (two-flowered). fl. greenish-white; raceme loose, six to twenty-flowered, 3in. to 4in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad; scape 6in. to 12in. long. April. l. four to six, fleshy-herbaceous, linear, 6in. to 12in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad. Peru, 1832. Greenhouse. (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 246.) There is a variety of this, chloroleuca, with few-flowered, loose racemes. (B. R. 1853, under name of O. chloroleucum.) O. capitatum (headed). fl. white; raceme dense, twenty to thirty-flowered, capitate, globose, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad; scape 6in. to 9in. long. June. l. fleshy-herbaceous, linear-lorate, about 1ft. long, 1/2in. broad. Kaffraria, 1862. Greenhouse. (B. M. 5388.) O. caudatum (tailed). fl. white, green; raceme fifty to a hundred (or more) flowered; scape terete, 1 1/2ft. to 3ft. long. May. l. five or six, fleshy-herbaceous, lorate-lanceolate, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 1 1/4in. to 1 1/2in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1774. Greenhouse. (B. M. 805; Ref. B. 262.) O. comosum (hairy). fl. greenish-white; racemes twelve to thirty-flowered; scape 3in. to 6in. long. July. l. five or six, ascendent, 6in. to 9in. long, about 1/2in. broad; margins obscurely ciliated. South and East Europe, 1596. (Fl. Ment. 67.) O. corymbosum (corymbose). A synonym of O. arabicum. O. cuspidatum (pointed). fl. greenish-white; perianth segments cuspidate; racemes twelve to twenty-flowered, corymbose, 4in. to 6in. broad; scape 3in. to 5in. long. March. l. five or six, linear, 10in. to 12in. long, 1/2in. broad. Asia Minor, 1843. (B. R. xxxi. 21, under name of O. marginatum.) O. fimbriatum (fringed). fl. greenish-white; raceme corymbose, eight to twenty-flowered; scape pilose, 1in. to 2in. long. February. l. six to eight, densely pilose, 6in. to 8in. long, 1/4in. broad. Asia Minor, &c., 1820. (B. M. 3077; B. R. 555; L. C. B. vi. 8.) O. glaucophyllum (glaucous-leaved). fl. pure white on the face, green behind, ten to fifteen, corymbose. l. five or six, flat, linear, very glaucous, without the central band, 6in. long. Asia Minor, 1875. O. graminifolium (grass-leaved). fl. white; raceme six to thirty-flowered; scape less than 1ft. high. July. l. six to eight, linear-filiform, 8in. to 12in. long, 1/8in. broad, dilated at base. Cape of Good Hope, 1794. Half-hardy. (B. M. 972, under name of O. juncifolium.) O. juncifolium (Rush-leaved), of Gawler. A synonym of O. graminifolium. O. lacteum (milk-white). fl. white; raceme dense, twenty to fifty (or more) flowered, 6in. or more long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad; scape erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high. June. l. nine or ten, fleshy-herbaceous, ascendent, 8in. to 12in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1796. Greenhouse. (A. B. R. 274; B. M. 1134; L. B. C. 1159.) Of this species, there is a slender variety, conicum, with narrow leaves, bracts, and perianth segments, and a loose raceme. (B. M. 3538, under name of O. conicum.) O. latifolium (broad-leaved). fl. white, green at back; raceme fifty to a hundred (or more) flowered, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 3in. to 4in. broad; scape erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high. June. l. five or six, fleshy-herbaceous, lorate, flaccid, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad. Tauria, &c., 1629. (B. M. 876; B. R. 1978.) O. longebracteatum (long-bracted). fl. greenish-white, in a thirty to sixty-flowered raceme; scape 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long. May. l. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1817. Greenhouse. O. marginatum (margined). A synonym of O. cuspidatum. O. montanum (mountain). fl. greenish-white; raceme six to twenty-flowered, sub-corymbose, 3in. to 4in. long and broad when expanded; scape 2in. to 4in. long. May. l. five or six, linear, 5in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. broad. Italy, 1824. (B. R. 1838, 28; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 42.) O. narbonense (Narbonne).* fl. milk-white, with a narrow, green stripe on the outside of each segment of the perianth, numerously disposed in a twenty to fifty-flowered raceme, 4in. to 6in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad; scape erect, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high. Spring and early summer. l. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad. South Europe, &c., 1810. (B. M. 2510.) O. niveum (snowy). fl. white; raceme somewhat loose, four to ten-flowered, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long; scape very slender, 2in. to 4in. long. May. l. five or six, filiform, firm, 3in. to 6in. long, dilated at base. Cape of Good Hope, 1774. Greenhouse. (B. R. 235.) O. nutans (nodding).* fl. white on the upper side, green on the back, forming a loose raceme, drooping, unilateral; scape 8in. to 12in. long. April and May. l. four to six, lorate, flaccid, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. 1/3in. broad. South Europe (naturalised in Britain). (B. M. 269; F. D. 912; J. F. A. 301; Sy. En. B 1523.) The variety Boucheanum is more showy than the type; it is dwarfer, and has larger flowers. (Flora, 1845, i. 131, under name of O. chloranthum.) O. pyramidale (pyramidal).* fl. pure white, marked with a green stripe on the back of each perianth segment, accompanied with coloured bracts, and arranged in a conical cluster, 6in. to 8in. long. Summer. l. generally withering before the plant ceases to flower. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Spain, 1752. O. pyrenaicum (Pyrenean). fl. pale yellow within, green without; raceme very long; scape upright, 1ft. to 2ft. high, erect. June. l. five or six, fleshy-herbaceous, 9in. to 18in. long, 1/4in. broad. South Europe (naturalised in Britain). (J. F. A. 103; Sy. En. B. 1525.) O. refractum (refracted). fl. greenish-white; raceme five to fifteen-flowered, 2in. to 3in. long and broad; scape 2in. to 4in. long. May. l. six to eight, narrow-linear, 6in. to 9in. long, about 1/8in. broad. Hungary, 1820. (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 58.) O. revolutum (revolute). fl. white; raceme twelve to twenty-flowered, deltoid, 3in. to 4in. long and broad; scape firm, 8in. to 12in. long. May. l. four or five, fleshy-herbaceous, lorate, 6in. to 9in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad. Namaqualand, 1795. Greenhouse. (B. M. 653; B. R. 315.) O. sororium (sisterly). fl. white; raceme sub-corymbose; scape none; perianth 1 1/2in. or more in diameter. l. about five, linear-lanceolate-linguiform, glabrous, channelled. Taurus, 1875.
O. thyrsoides (thyrse-like).* fl. yellow; raceme dense, twelve to thirty-flowered; scape erect, 6in. to 18in. long. June. l. five or six, fleshy-herbaceous, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1757. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1164; Ref. B. 20.) There are two or three varieties of this species: in album, the flowers are pure white, with a dark centre, and are very numerously produced in fine spikes; in aureum, a handsome form (B. M. 190, under name of O. aureum), the flowers are of a golden colour; in flavescens (B. R. 305), the flowers are saffron-colour; in flavissimum (A. B. R. 505), the flowers are of a much deeper yellow than in the type. O. umbellatum (umbelled).* Star of Bethlehem. fl. of a satiny-white on the inside, and green striped with white without, disposed in an umbel or corymb; scape about 6in. high. May. l. six to nine, ascendent, 6in. to 12in. long, 1/4in. broad. Europe (naturalised in Britain). One of the showiest and best species. (F. D. 1266; J. F. A. 343; Sy. En. B. 1524.) O. unifolium (one-leaved). fl. greenish-white; raceme sub-spicate, three to six-flowered; scape 3in. to 6in. long. June. l. solitary, linear, 3in. to 6in. long, 1/8in. broad. Gibraltar, 1805. (B. M. 935.) Of this species, there is a taller and more robust variety, concinnum, with two, rarely three or five, leaves, and an eight to twenty-flowered raceme. (B. M. 953.) O. virens (green). fl. white; raceme dense, thirty to fifty-flowered; scape 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high, erect, terete. June. l. five or six, fleshy-herbaceous, linear-lorate, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1823. Greenhouse. (B. R. 814.) O. vittatum (striped). fl. yellow, green at back; raceme loose, six to twelve-flowered, 3in. to 4in. long, 1 1/2in. broad; scape upright, 6in. to 9in. high. June. l. five or six, sub-terete, fleshy-herbaceous, 6in. to 8in. long, 1/8in. broad. Cape of Good Hope, 1802. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1329, under name of Albuca vittata.)