Ornithogalum sp Negev

[SJW]

I was given a few bulbils of an Ornithogalum species today from a friend who said the plant grows in the Negev. I'm afraid I don't have a photo but it had a largish bulb at soil level and a very tall flowering scape. The pea-sized bulbils were actually on the scape rather than clustered around the bulb. Any ideas? I thought perhaps Oron would be able to identify the species from this description? Thanks.

[Oron Peri]

Steve,

From your description it sounds to me more like an Allium rather than Ornithogalum.

The only tall Ornithogalum in the Negev is O. narbonense but the desert form doesn't grow more than 30cm tall and doesn't have bulbils along the scape.

If possible try to scratch one bulbil or the leaves to see if it has the scent of a garlic.

A photo would help...
Oron

[SJW]

Steve,

From your description it sounds to me more like an Allium rather than Ornithogalum.
The only tall Ornithogalum in the Negev is O. narbonense but the desert form doesn't grow more than 30cm tall and doesn't have bulbils along the scape.
If possible try to scratch one bulbil or the leaves to see if it has the scent of a garlic.
A photo would help...
Oron

Thanks, Oron. I can't say I detected an onion smell when I bruised one of the bulbils. Of course, it may be that he's got it wrong and it isn't a plant from the Negev! I'll try and remember to take a photo the next time I visit his greenhouse. In the meantime, here's a photo of the bulbils. Thanks again.

[Oron Peri]

Steve,

Thanks for the photo,
I can not think of any Ornithogalum or Allium  native to this region which has bulbils with such fleshy, deep green colored.
The only thing that comes to my mind is  Albuca bracteata [syn. Ornithogalum bracteatum] but this is of SA origin.

[SJW]

Thanks, Oron.

Hmmm...I'm starting to think my friend is confusing his deserts! I'll check with him although I think it's one of those situations where the original plant and label have been lost but a bulbil has dropped into a neighbouring pot and grown on.

[SJW]

Hi Oron

Here's a few photos of the mystery ornithogalum (?), on closer examination the plant has seen better days! Presumably this is one of the South Africans?

[David Nicholson]

Wow, some greenhouse?

[SJW]

Wow, some greenhouse?

And that's just part of the private area where he grows on stock - his main glasshouses and propagation glasshouse are alongside. He specializes in succulents, cacti. lithops etc but the nursery isn't as active as it once was, although still open for business. These old gardeners keep going, don't they?! He's 80 and slowing down a bit so the jobs don't get done quite so quickly as in the past - as you may have noticed from the messy plantpot in the photo! But he's still sowing seeds and planning ahead.   

[Oron Peri]

Steve,

It is definitely an Albuca, closely related to A. bracteata as i thought earlier.

I say 'closely' because it differs by having bracts along the scape which is unusual, the bulbils seems to develop in the Axils.
Also seems it doesn't have bulblets on the bulb it self and finally the scape is too erect for being A. bracteata.
Maybe someone on the forum has a key for the genus Albuca and can have a look

Finally,  I think the Ficus growing in the same pot is drinking all the water...

[SJW]

Steve,

It is definitely an Albuca, closely related to A. bracteata as i thought earlier.

I say 'closely' because it differs by having bracts along the scape which is unusual, the bulbils seems to develop in the Axils.
Also seems it doesn't have bulblets on the bulb it self and finally the scape is too erect for being A. bracteata.
Maybe someone on the forum has a key for the genus Albuca and can have a look

Finally,  I think the Ficus growing in the same pot is drinking all the water...

Thanks, Oron. Yes, it looks like A. bracteata/Ornithogalum longebracteatum but the lack of bulbils on the 'onion' confuses me. I don't know which species have bulbils on the scape itself...

I'll give the Ficus a quick drink the next time I visit. 

[johnstephen29]

Your friend has a great collection of cacti steve, whereabouts is his nursery?