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a a eee 
Laer Yee 
By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 217%~ 
OrniTHOoGALUM, (Linn.) Star or BrrHLEeHEM. 
Linn. Cl. vi. Ord. i. 
Name. From ornis, ornithos, (Gr.) a bird; and gala, (Gr.) milk. 
Star of Bethlehem; from its abounding in Palestine, where it is 
used as food. 
1. O. umbellatum, (Linn.) umbelled or common Star of Bethlehem. 
; Engl. Bot. t. 130. Reich Icones, x. 467. 
Locality. Meadows and pastures, and sites of old gardens. P. 
_ Fl. May, June. Area, * 2. 3. 4. 5. 
. South Division. 
2. South-middle District. ‘ Neighbourhood of Westbury,” Miss 
Overbury. : 
3. South-west District. ‘ Warminster,’ Mr. Wheeler. 
North Division. 
4. North-west District. “Near Rudlow, Box, and Collet’s 
Bottom,” Mr. C. E. Broome. “ Meadows near the tan yard, and by 
the Pickwick road, at Corsham,” Dr. R. C. Prior. 
5. North-east District. Roundway Hill, near Devizes. “ First 
field on the Kennet side of the Forest Hill,” Flor. Marlé. “Near 
Great Bedwyn,” Mr. Bartlett. Probably an introduced plant in the 
county. Stem 8 to 10 inches high. Leaves linear, accuminate, 
grooved. lowers large, lower pedicels very long, so that their 
flowers reach to the same height with the upper ones thus forming a 
corymb, each having a membranous lanceolate bractea. Segments 
of the perianth green, with a white margin and white within. 
2. O. pyrenaicum, (Linn.) spiked Star of Bethlehem. agi. 
Bot. t. 449. 
Locality. In woods and pastures. P. FU. June. Area, 1. 2. 8. 
4. 5. Frequently distributed throughout all the Districts. Bulb 
ovate. Leaves long, linear, accuminate, channelled. Scape 1 
to 2 feet long. Raceme elongated. Flowers much smaller than 
in the last species, greenish white. This plant is very common in 
the North-west District of the county, and large quantities of the 
immature flowering spikes are brought to the Bath Market by the 
poor people in spring, where they are sold in small bundles for the 
