ORNITÒGALO - STELLA DI BETLEMME - LATTE DI GALLINA - STAR OF BETHLEHEM Ornithogalum divergens Boreau

Latte di gallina divergente
Ornitogalo divergente
Deutsch: Dolden-Milchstern
English: Lesser star-of-Bethlehem
Español: Estrella de monja, culebrilla ajerta
Français: Ornithogale divergent

Ornithogalum divergens Boreau, the garden star-of-Bethlehem, grass lily, nap-at-noon, or eleven-o'clock lady, a species of the genus Ornithogalum, is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). 
The plant, especially the bulb and flowers, contains cardiac glycosides, specifically convallatoxin and convalloside which are toxic to humans and livestock. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath, as well as pain, burning, and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat.

Despite the known toxicities, the plant has been described as edible for 2,000 years and incorporated into some traditional regional cuisines (e.g. Turkey) and traditional medicine (e.g. India). In Britain, the plant has long been the subject of herbals for its claimed culinary and medicinal properties. This includes drying and grinding the bulbs, or boiling them and baking the flowers into bread. Essences are sold as patent remedies and for aromatherapy, such as Bach flower remedies.

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Ethnic and religious affiliation affects traditional wild plant foraging in Central Azerbaijan. Andrea Pieroni1, Renata Sõukand. University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, I-12060 Pollenzo, Cuneo, Italy and Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, I-30172 Mestre, Venezia, Italy

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