''Anthericum ramosum'', known as branched St Bernard's-lily, is a herbaceous

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

plant with a rhizome. The genus ''Anthericum'' is currently placed in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Asparagaceae, subfamily

Agavoideae Agavoideae is a subfamily of monocot flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, order Asparagales. It has previously been treated as a separate family, Agavaceae. The group includes many well-known desert and dry-zone types, such as the agaves ...

. It was formerly placed in its own family, Anthericaceae, and before that in the Liliaceae.

Description

''Anthericum ramosum'' reaches on average a height of . The grass-like leaves are long and wide and are generally much shorter than the inflorescence. It has an erect, paniculate inflorescence. The flower spikes are branched (hence the Latin name ''ramosus''), unlike ''

Anthericum liliago ''Anthericum liliago'', the St Bernard's lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to mainland Europe (not the British Isles) and Turkey, growing in dry pastures, stony places and open woods and flowering ...

''. The six

tepals A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

are white, long, as are the six

stamens The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

. The flower is scentless and pure white, the anthers are bright yellow. The flowering period extends from June through August. The capsular fruit is spherical to three-faced. The flowers are pollinated by hymenopterans, while seed are distributed by the wind. Liliaceae - Anthericum ramosum

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe, being more common in southern countries, and is widespread in Central Asia and Russia.

Habitat

These plants grow in sunny areas and calcareous soils, on semiarid grasslands, slopes and forest edges. In the Alps they can be found at an altitude of above sea level.

References

* Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia - Edagricole – 1982 Vol. III

External links

Biolib

Plants

Rare Plants
{{Taxonbar, from=Q159289 Agavoideae Flora of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus