Star of Bethlehem (plant)
(Redirected from Ornithogalum)
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| Ornithogalum narbonense | ||||||||||||
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The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. 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
- O. longibracteatum, pregnant onion, false sea onion
- O. nutans
- O. narbonense
- O. pyrenaicum, Prussian asparagus, spiked star of Bethlehem
- O. umbellatum, sleepydick, star of Bethlehem
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.
"Yellow star-of-Bethlehem" refers to plants of a different genus. See Gagea.
Categories: Asparagales | Plant stubs