Ornithogalum
Family: Liliaceae
English: Star Of Bethlehem
There are 14 species of this plant in Greece (Ornithogalum creticum, O. commosum, O. arabicum, O. narbonense, O. natans, O. umbellatum). Its leaves are oblong to lance-shaped and its flowers are white. It blooms in waste places and in vineyards from April to June. In the past its pure white flowers were taken as symbols of chastity and offered to brides. In ancient Greece this plant was also known as "bird's milk". Edible are both its bulbs and flowers before blossom. They are boiled in water and then sprinkled with ample olive oil. On Crete the flowers of Ornithogalum are fried in olive oil and served with a few drops of vinegar. In Cyprus, the bulbs are boiled, pressed and mixed with honey to be used as poultice on sores and sprinkled joints.
Popular Greek names:
"Tourlouki", "Mavrammota".
