Asparagus Family
Asparagus Family - Asparagaceae
The Ornithogalum species are a very difficult group to identify, with differences often subtle and often involving details of below-ground parts. Seven species have been recorded in Lesvos: boucheanum, gussonei, montanum, narbonense, nutans, pyrenaicum and umbellatum and not all are represent here as yet.
Sharp-leaved Asparagus Asparagus acutifolius
Native throughout the Mediterranean Region. Frequent on rough and often stony ground.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Common Butcher's-broom Ruscus aculeatus
Native across western and southern Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East to the Caucasus. A distinctive, spiny, evergreen shrub that forms dense thickets of stiff, upright stems. A closer look reveals that the spine-tipped 'leaves' are actually flattened stems, which bear the flowers and berries at their centre.
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
Centuryplant Agave americana
Native to southern USA and Mexico. Widely planted throughout the Mediterranean Region as an ornamental and regularly found in the wider countryside.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum pyrenaicum
Native throughout much of western and Central Europe to the Mediterranean Region and eastwards to Turkey and the Caucasus. Flowers smaller than those of Narbonne Star-of-Bethlehem and creamy or yellowish-white in colour.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Narbonne Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum narbonense
Native throughout the Mediterranean Region and eastwards to Iran. A distinctive species, with delicate flowers on a tall, upright spike.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
|
|
Mountain Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum montanum
Native from Italy eastwards through the Balkans to the Caucasus and Middle East. Flowers 5-15 in an open head, leaves 3-7, spreading, at least as long as the height of the flower spike, relatively broad and without a white stripe. Bulb broadly ovoid.
Gussone's Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum gussonei differs in having green, thread-like basal leaves and a longer flowering scape. Common Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum differs in having thread-like basal leaves with a pale central stripe.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Divergent Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum divergens
Native throughout much of central and southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region. Frequent in grassy places and roadsides. Leaves more than 2mm wide, usually persistent at anthesis; leaves glabrous, with white central stripe. Bulb with numerous stipitate offsets; perianth segments 18-30mm; capsule obovoid-oblong, slightly angled.
(Sometimes included in the polyploid O. umbellatum complex as a form with relatively small, stipitate bulblets and slightly reflexed fruiting pedicels.)
| |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum nutans
Native from Bulgaria and Greece to Turkey. Much confused in the literature with O. boucheanum with determining characters differing in various publications. Most recently, Meric et al. (2011) (Biologia 66/1: 68-75) highlighted the following characteristics for O. nutans: Leaves linear parallel, almost as long as, to longer than scape; raceme 7-12 flowered; pedicels 4-7mm; tepals 18-23 x 6mm; outer (shorter) three stamen filaments unwinged at the top, inner (longer) three winged. Plants on Lesvos need to be checked against these characters, though number of flowers may vary according to growing conditions.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Bouché's Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum boucheanum
Native from south-central Europe eastwards to the Black Sea countries, Turkey and the Caucasus. Much confused in the literature with O. nutans with determining characters differing in various publications. Most recently, Meric et al. (2011) (Biologia 66/1: 68-75) highlighted the following characteristics for O. boucheanum: Leaves linear canaliculate, the same length as the scape or shorter; raceme 20-30 flowered; pedicels 5-10mm; tepals 25-30 x 8mm; all six stamen filaments winged at the top. Plants on Lesvos need to be checked against these characters, though number of flowers may vary according to growing conditions.
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
|
Tall Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum arabicum
Native throughout most of the Mediterranean Region, but rather scattered and generally uncommon. Not listed by Strid (2016) as recorded on Lesvos, but a single plant was found on a trackside west of Eresos in 2025.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Eastern Sea Squill Drimia aphylla
Native from the Eastern Aegean Islands and Libya eastwards through Turkey and the Middle East to Iran. Produces a tuft of leaves that die down with the onset of summer and the flower spike appears in late summer/autumn.
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
Autumn Squill Prospero autumnale
Native to Atlantic coasts of Europe and through the Mediterranean Region to the Caucasus. Flowers August to October.
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
Common Grape-hyacinth Muscari neglectum
Native to most of Europe and the Mediterranean Region, eastwards to Central Asia.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Dark Grape-hyacinth Muscari commutatum
Native to the South-eastern Mediterranean Region, from Italy to the Aegean Islands.
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Common Tassel-hyacinth Muscari comosum
(Muscari comosum) Native to central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, the Mediterranean Region and eastwards to Iran.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
Three-leaved Bellevalia Bellevalia trifoliata
Native from southern France to Turkey and the Middle East.
 |
 |
| |
|
Eastern Alpine Squill Scilla nivalis
Native to the Black Sea Region and from the Eastern Aegean Islands through Turkey to the Levant and Caucasus. A relatively small, delicate species with rich, deep blue flowers usually carried 1-5 (occasionally up to 10) on a stalk. Leaves usually two; no bracts at the base of the flower pedicels.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|