Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Hyacinthaceae
Genus: Ornithogalum
Species: O. umbellatum
Binomial name
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star-of-Bethlehem, Grass Lily), is a perennial bulbous flowering plant of the family Hyacinthaceae. It is native throughout most of southern and central Europe (north to Austria and Belgium), and in northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia. In North America, it has escaped its cultivation as a garden ornamental and can be found in many areas.
Description
This plant is perennial with bulbs below ground; the bulb is 15-25 mm long and 18-32 mm diameter. It has six to ten leaves, linear with a white line on upper surface, up to 30 cm long and 8 mm broad, and a scape of 10-30 cm. The flowers group in a corymbose raceme with 6-20 flowers, and are white with a green stripe outside.
Cultivation
O. umbellatum require a lot of moisture during winter & spring, but tolerate summer droughtiness. It can be grown in the woodland garden. Semi-shade is preferable. It is hardy to hardiness zone 5, and can become weedy. The plant is toxic. Used in some herbal remedies
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Hyacinthaceae
Genus: Ornithogalum
L.
Species
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. 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.
"Yellow star-of-Bethlehem" refers to plants of a different genus. See Gagea.
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, which are toxic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornithogalum
