#asparagaceae

Agave parrasana

Agave parrasana is one of the few Agave species with a 2-phase flowering process. The first stage begins in the summer of the first year, with the flower stalk emerging and rising up like a large club, with thick protective bracts covering the tip. It stops growing in late summer to early autumn, with the bracts serving to protect the embryonic flowers through the cold of winter. The second stage begins in the spring of the following year, when the plant decides it has warmed up enough to go ahead and flower. The floral branches emerge and elongate, and then the flowers come along. The upper photo shows the plant in flower; the middle one shows a flower close-up; and the lower one shows 2 plants - the one at lower left in the first stage, and the one at upper right in the second stage. From the state of Coahuila in northern Mexico.

Common Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum). Family Asparagaceae, order Asparagales.

Starry False Solomon's-Seal Maianthemum stellatum Asparagaceae

"Flowers are set in an un-branched cluster (raceme) at the tip of the flowering stem. Racemes are 1.5–5 cm long and 6–15-flowered. Flowers are set at one per node along the flowering stem, on stalks (pedicles) 6–12 mm long" (Wikipedia).

In contrast, the similar looking False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum) has "7 to 250 small flowers produced on a 10–15 cm panicle that has well-developed branches" (Wikipedia).

Lelietje-van-dalen of meiklokje (Convallaria majalis). 14-05-2021

📍 Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina 🗓 Date: April 14, 2026 🐾 Media: Image 🌿 Species: Common Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) 📝 Notes: Small bulb-forming perennial wildflower commonly found in lawns, meadows, roadsides, woodland edges, and disturbed habitats across much of Europe and widely introduced in North America. Produces narrow grass-like leaves with a pale central stripe and clusters of white star-shaped flowers, often marked with green on the outer petals.

Blooms mainly during spring and spreads readily through underground bulbs and offsets, sometimes forming dense patches in turf and garden areas. Flowers open in bright sunlight and close during cloudy weather or at night. All parts of the plant are considered toxic if ingested, particularly the bulbs, which contain cardiac glycosides harmful to humans and animals.