Star of Bethlehem on a roadside verge

star of bethlehem
Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum)  Photo: Janet Higgins

Whilst cycling, I noticed these straggly plants with green buds striped with white, hiding in the grass on a roadside verge in Eaton. I returned a week later in the middle of the day to examine the inflorescence of star-like white flowers in more detail. There were three plants, they had 10 to 12 flowers each, the lowest pedicel was 7 cm and the flowers were 45-55 mm in diameter.  This suggests that these plants are subspecies umbellatum.

Janet Higgins
23.04.2020