Southern African Ornithogalum Two

Ornithogalums from Southern Africa from p-z are found on this wiki page.


Ornithogalum index | Southern African Ornithogalums from a-o


Ornithogalum paludosum Baker grows on wet grassy slopes from the Southwestern Cape to the Southeastern Cape, flowering October to January. Plants grow from 20 to 50 cm with linear erect leaves and white flowers in a subspicate raceme. The first three photos were taken by Cameron McMaster at Sentinel Peak in the Eastern Cape. The last three photos of what is likely this species were taken at Naude's Nek where it was growing close to Moraea alticola. Photographs from Mary Sue Ittner and Bob Rutemoeller taken January 2010.

Ornithogalum paludosum, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum paludosum, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum paludosum, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum sp., Naude's Nek, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum sp. fruit, Naude's Nek, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum sp., Naude's Nek, Bob Rutemoeller

Ornithogalum polyphyllum Jacq. is found on stony slopes from Namaqualand to the cold Bokkeveld. Plants are 25 to 60 cm high with 8 to 20 terete to linear leaves and yellow or white violet-scented flowers with green keels. Flowering is from August to September. Photos were taken by Cameron McMaster in Namaqualand.

Ornithogalum polyphyllum, Kamieskroon, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum polyphyllum, Spoegrivier, Cameron McMaster

Ornithogalum pruinosum F.M.Leight. has 4 to 6 bluish green basal oblong to lanceolate leaves. The white flowers are borne in a dense flower head. It is found on rocky slopes in Namaqualand to the western Karoo. The first two photos by Bob Rutemoeller were taken in such a spot near Kamieskroon September 2006. Photos #3 and 4 were taken by Andrew Harvie northwest of Steinkopf. The final two photos were taken by Alan Horstmann.

Ornithogalum pruinosum, Kamieskroon, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum pruinosum, Kamieskroon, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum pruinosum, northwest of Steinkopf, Andrew HarvieOrnithogalum pruinosum, northwest of Steinkopf, Andrew HarvieOrnithogalum pruinosum, Alan HorstmannOrnithogalum pruinosum, Alan Horstmann

Ornithogalum pulchrum see Albuca pulchra


Ornithogalum regale (Hilliard & B.L.Burtt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt previously and still sometimes seen under the name Galtonia regalis grows on wet cliffs up to 2800 meters in colonies in the Drakensberg and blooms January to February (Southern Hemisphere). In the San Francisco Bay Area, Nhu Nguyen grows each bulb in a 1 gallon container with 60% rich organic medium and 40% perlite (or pumice). The plants are given water often (they love water) and fertilized once a month during active growth and flowering. The plants are not self-fertile in cultivation. Photos 1-3 were taken by Cameron McMaster at Sentinel Peak in the Drakensberg. Photos 4-6 were taken by Nhu Nguyen in cultivation.

Ornithogalum regale, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum regale, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum regale, Sentinel Peak, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum regale, Nhu NguyenOrnithogalum regale, Nhu NguyenOrnithogalum regale, Nhu Nguyen

Ornithogalum rupestre L.f. grows in sandy pockets on granite boulders in the Northwest and Southwest Cape (Bokkeveld Mountains to the Little Karoo), but also in clayey soils in the Little Karoo. It grows from 2 to 10 cm and flowers September-December. It has curved narrow blue grey leaves and usually white flowers, often flushed pink. In the Little Karoo the flowers are yellow with a dark green center. Photos from the book Plants of the Klein Karoo courtesy of Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok.

Ornithogalum rupestre, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-VlokOrnithogalum rupestre, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok

Ornithogalum sardienii van Jaarsv. is a rare plant endemic to the Little Karoo where it is restricted to rocky, gravelly soils. Growing to 5 cm when it flowers in summer, the small bulb sits above the ground. Leaves are narrow, sometimes hairy, and the white flowers are small. Photo from the book Plants of the Klein Karoo courtesy of Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok.

Ornithogalum sardienii, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok

Ornithogalum saundersiae Baker is a summer rainfall species from South Africa that is found on rocky outcrops, in colonies. Growing to 1.5 m, it has soft shiny dark green leaves in an erect rosette and white flowers with a dark greenish black ovary in a flat topped inflorescence. The bulb is poisonous to stock, long blooming and is a good garden plant if not over watered. The first photo from Rod Saunders. The second photo was taken by Arnold Trachtenberg who stores it dry in winter on his basement floor.

Ornithogalum sandersiae, Rod SaundersOrnithogalum sandersiae, Arnold Trachtenberg

Ornithogalum secundum see Albuca secunda


Ornithogalum spp. photos below were not identified to species level.

The first three photos below from Mary Sue Ittner are of plants grown from seed from NARGS seed labeled Ornithogalum gifbergensis, a species that does not exist and has never been named. There is a species with a synonym name of Ornithogalum gifbergense, Ornithogalum ciliiferum U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies but she can't find photos of it on iNaturalist or any place else online and the description of it doesn't seem to match these plants. It is mostly evergreen and increases both vegetatively and by seed. She grows it as a summer rainfall species, watering it more in summer and occasionally in winter. Grown this way it flowers late summer to fall. The last three photos below from Pamela Slate are of plants that were probably grown from seed Mary Sue donated to the BX. Alberto Castillo provided this description when he sent the bulbs to BX 250, August 2010: "a miniature Ornithogalum species, fine foliage growing in tufts, clumping, evergreen, but definitely a winter grower. Flowers are white, minute and produced in profusion in spring. It was originally distributed as seed in an early PBS BX. Has been a charming undemanding species in full sun and gritty soil. Frost free conditions."?

Ornitogalum sp.,  Mary Sue IttnerOrnitogalum sp., Mary Sue IttnerOrnitogalum sp., Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum sp., Pamela SlateOrnithogalum sp., Pamela SlateOrnithogalum sp., Pamela Slate

Ornithogalum suaveolens see Albuca suaveolens


Ornithogalum synanthifolium F.M.Leight is endemic to the Eastern Cape where it occurs in moist or marshy grassland along streams and in damp valleys. It typically is a large, often evergreen species from 35 to 95 cm with soft bright green leaves about half as long as the inflorescence and pure white flowers. It flowers throughout the wet summer season (September to January). This species may be confused with Ornithogalum dubium, the only other species of section Aspasia to occur in the Eastern Cape, but the latter is deciduous, grows in more rocky situations, and produces a rosette of shorter spreading leaves. Photos taken by Cameron McMaster in Andriesberg. He reports this species is a good garden subject as it is almost evergreen and flowers well in summer.

Ornithogalum synanthiifolium, Andriesberg, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum synanthiifolium, Andriesberg, Cameron McMaster

Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq. is found on sandy flats and lower slopes in marshes from Namaqualand to Pearly Beach. It is very variable in form. Flowers are white, often with a dark center. This species is very similar to Ornithogalum conicum which is found in some of the same areas. Ornithogalum conicum never has a dark center. O. thyrsoides has large bracts and inner filaments with broad membranous wings. The inner filaments on O. conicum are ovate or expanded below, but the lower expansion is squared above and not curved inward over the ovary as in this species. The first series of pictures are clearly O. thyrsoides because of the darker center and where they were seen. The first three photographs were taken by Cameron McMaster near Napier in the Overberg and the next three were taken by Alan Horstmann.

Ornithogalum thyrsoides, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Alan HorstmannOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Alan HorstmannOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Alan Horstmann

The first three photos by Mary Sue Ittner were taken near Darling in the Western Cape in September 2006 of an especially attractive form. The last photo was also taken near Darling by Cameron McMaster.

Ornithogalum thyrsoides, Darling, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Darling, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Darling, Cameron McMaster

I'm not so sure about the identification of the next two series of pictures, but think on the basis of the broad membranous wings that curve inward they could be O. thyrsoides. The first population was seen near Vanrhynsdorp September 2006 growing in abundance along the road. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.

Ornithogalum thyrsoides, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Mary Sue Ittner

This population was viewed in the Cederberg between Nieuwoudtville and Clanwilliam. Photographs by Mary Sue Ittner taken September 2006.

Ornithogalum thyrsoides, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Mary Sue Ittner

Photos of plants in cultivation by Rimmer de Vries, received as Ornithogalum ceresianum which is a recognised synonym of Ornithogalum thyrsoides.

Ornithogalum thyrsoides, Rimmer de VriesOrnithogalum thyrsoides, Rimmer de Vries

Ornithogalum viridiflorum (I.Verd.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt previously and still sometimes known as Galtonia viridiflora grows on cliffs and steep rocky slopes in drier areas in the Drakensberg. Flowers are pale green. Nhu Nguyen grows each bulb in a 1 gallon container in a mix of 60% rich organic material and 40% perlite (or pumice) with plenty of water and fertilizers once a month. In the San Francisco Bay Area, this bulb will continue growing well into the cold season and will go dormant only for about 2 months before coming back out. The bulb does not multiply so it is best increased by growing from seeds. Plants are self fertile in cultivation. This plant survives and does fairly well in zone 1 Canadian scale at Hay River NWT. Canada. It has been growing there for eight years without being lifted for the winter. The leaves of this species are described as more erect than Ornithogalum regale which has lax leaves and the flowers of that species has creamy white tepals instead of pale green. These differences seem a bit subtle at least in the populations we saw in the wild. The first four photos were taken by Cameron McMaster at Balloch and Naude's Nek in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Photos five and six two were also taken at Naude's Nek by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.

Ornithogalum viridiflorum, Balloch, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Naude's Nek, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Naude's Nek, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Naude's Nek, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Naude's Nek, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Naude's Nek, Mary Sue Ittner

Photos 1-2 were taken by Nhu Nguyen in cultivation. The last four photos were taken by Darm Crook in cultivation at Hay River NWT. Canada; zone 1.

Ornithogalum viridiflorum, Nhu NguyenOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Nhu NguyenOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Darm CrookOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Darm CrookOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Darm CrookOrnithogalum viridiflorum, Darm Crook

Ornithogalum xanthochlorum Baker is a large plant with 10 to 12 somewhat succulent basal leaves and many greenish flowers borne in a dense flower head. It is found on sandy flats in Namaqualand and also in the Calvinia area. The first three photographs were taken in Namaqualand September 2006 by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner. Photo 4 was taken September 2011 by Cameron McMaster, Knersvlakte, Namaqualand. The last photo was taken by Andrew Harvie.

Ornithogalum xanthochlorum, Namaqualand, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum xanthochlorum, Namaqualand, Bob RutemoellerOrnithogalum xanthochlorum, Namaqualand, Mary Sue IttnerOrnithogalum xanthochlorum, Knersvlakte, Cameron McMasterOrnithogalum xanthochlorum, Andrew Harvie

Related Genera can be found on the following wiki pages:

Albuca - Dipcadi - Galtonia - Neopatersonia - Ornithogalum index - Pseudogaltonia - Southern African Ornithogalum a-o


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