Nomenclature

Species name:

Ornithogalum arabicum   L.

Author(s):

Carl von Linné
   Sweden, 1707-1778

Common name:

Large Star of Bethlehem
Lesser Cape Lily
Arabian starflower
Arab's Eye

Maltese name:

Halib it-Tajr Kbir

Plant Family:

Liliaceae   (Lily Family)

Name Derivation:

Ornithogalum = 'Ornis' = bird; 'galos' = milk; hence it means Bird's milk. (Greek);

arabicum = Arabian; originating from or related to Arabia (Latin).

Synonyms:

Ornithogalum corymbosum, Caruelia arabica.

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Arable land especially in a rocky habitat, field tracks and lanes, valleys

Sources in Malta:

Locally frequent in several locations around Malta and Gozo such as Bahrija, Girgenti, Buskett, Wied Babu, Wied Incita, Xlendi (Gozo) etc. Also reported at St. Marija Bay, Comino.

Plant Height:

30-70cm

Flowering Time:

Apr-May

Plants formed from large underground bulbs that have a dark brown tunic and several bulbils. This species is perhaps the largest among the 20 or so Ornithogalum species that grows in the Mediterranean region.

Each bulb normally produces 5 to 8 greyish-green, tapering leaves that measure up to 18-24mm wide and 50-60cm long. They are glabrous, have a smooth outline and a rather flat lamina at the central part.

A thick and robust flowering stem (=scape) is produced at around the beginning of Spring which reaches between 30-70cm of height. The scape forms a cluster of about 8-12 flowers but can be numerous as much as 25 flowers. They are arranged in a dense, short and nearly flat-topped inflorescence. Each flower is held by a long pedicel between 4-7cm long and accompanied by a single bract. The bract is lance to triangular shaped bract with a long tapering end forming a pointed tip. The bracts are green with white margins and bases.

Flowers are often found facing upwards (not sideways) and their colour is off-white cream. Their tepals lack the green, longitudinal band that many Ornithogalum species possess. The 6 tepals can be said to be identical, but strictly speaking the lower whorl of tepals (='sepals') are visibly slightly broader from the upper whorl (='petals'). The tepals overlap each other and often form a cup-shaped corolla. Their broad oval shape ends in a short pointed apex.

The reproductive parts consists of 6 stamens arranged around a central ovary. Each stamen is made up of a thick white filament that holds a yolk-yellow rod-shaped anther. The filament do not possess a flap-like structure and it measures not more from 2mm wide. The superior ovary is a polished bead-like structure and is conspicuous since of its black colour. Projecting out from the centre is the short style with a stigma divided into 3 swellings or tiny lobes.

The fruit capsules are oval-cylindrical and ripen by the end of May to June. Each capsule splits longitudinally into 3 compartments and expose the stored spherical seeds which simply fall off to the ground without any obvious seed dispersion.

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