GAGEASalisb.YELLOW STAR OF BETHLEHEM

GAGEASalisb. - YELLOW STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Scientific Description:

Dwarf tunicate bulbous perennials; new bulbs formed either inside or beside the old, often entwined with thickened roots. Basal leaves (0−)l−2(−3), linear or linear-lanceolate, hollow, solid or flat. Infiorescence umbellate to racemose, with leaf-like bracts, often with bulbils in their axils. Flowers yellow, rarely white. Perianth segments free, equal, without nectaries. Stamens 6; anthers basifixed. Style entire (in Turkey). Seeds flat or pyriform.

Reference:
Rix EM (1984). Gagea Salisb., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 312.

Public Description:

Gagea is a genus of dwarf bulbous perennial herbs, known as “yellow star of Bethlehem”. It is naturally distributed primarily in Eurasia with a few species extending into North Africa and North America. There are approximately 209 species in the world and 31 species (32 taxa) in Turkey. The Latin genus name “Gagea” was named after the English naturalist Sir Thomas Gage (1791-1820).

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gagea, Accessed date: 21.02.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Liliaceae/Gagea/, Accessed date: 21.02.2016.

Tekşen M (2012). Gagea Salisb., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 607–607.