Family: Asparagaceae Juss.

Ornithogalum comosum

Distribution: Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, westward to Italy, northward to Austria and Hungary.

Ecology: It grows in sunny grasslands and pastures, in alkaline soils, from lowlands to highlands. Blooms from May to June.

Ornithogalum comosum

Description: Bulbous perennial herb, without bulbils, without or with a few offsets, 15–40(–50) cm tall. Basal leaves 3–6(–9), linear, (1.5–)3.5–6(–9) mm wide, glaucous, flat or concave, with slender, short cilia, glabrous on the surface. Scape erect, glabrous; inflorescence corymbiform, elongating in fruit; bracts lanceolate, shorter or longer than pedicels; flowers (4–)8–30(–60); perianth-segments oblanceolate, 10–20 mm long, white, with narrow green stripe on back. The fruit is a cylindrical to obovoid capsule.

Ornithogalum comosumOrnithogalum comosum
Ornithogalum comosum
Ornithogalum comosum

These images were taken in Austria, Lower Austria, Hainburger Berge, Spitzerberg (June 1, 2008).