Star of Bethlehem

Description:

Ornithogalum sigmoideum has a wide distribution from south east Europe to north Iran. The flower are unusual in having very short stems so that they lie close the surface of the ground, occurring singly or in clumps. There are six white petals marked on the underside by a central green stripe, seen most easily when the flowers are in bud. Six stamens surround a central stigma and style. The narrow leaves are initially round in cross section but develop a grove along their length as they grow, which appears as a white stripe.

Habitat:

It grows in open fields often in damp conditions, forming large clumps. Spotted in a meadow in Seih-Sou, the suburban forest of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Notes:

Synonyms: Ornithogalum sibthorpii, Ornithogalum nanum.