Ornithogalum angustifolium Boreau (O. umbellatum auct. non L.)
First record: Davies & Green, 1774 in Relhan Ms.
O. umbllatum, seen in 1774 by Mess Davies & Green: Relhan MS. Bab.ann.Relhan,139. [this is not in Bab. list of Relhan MS at the begining of vol. 2]
These records probably include some for O. umbellatum L. 23
Odsey wood, 293.383, GMS Easy, 1977.
Odsey rail, 295.385, GMS Easy, 1977.
Rsv, Steeple Morden, 293.399, D Donald, 1979, BRC. 24
Roadside, Guilden Morden, escape, 28-44-, PD Sell 58/182, 25.5.1958, CGE.
N side of Morden Grange Plantation, D Meyer, 1952. 25
Gamlingay Great Heath, 221.516, (escape), GMB Smith, 24.5.1969.
Rsv, Gamlingay, at junction of FP to Potton, on S side of Heath Road, 227.517, c. 30 plants; and almost opposite last cottage c. 50 yards to (old) way to Trust Meadow 220.516, JCA Rathmell, 5.5.1993; G Crompton & R Payne, 20.5.1993; 120 flowers at field corner by Plantation Cottage, 220-516-, JCA Rathmell, in litt. 11.5.1994.
Rsv, Gamlingay, 230.532, lvs only, AC Leslie, 1977. 34
Foxton, WH Palmer, 1941.
Meldreth, 378.466, three plants by FP along stream and close to wire fence, JCA Rathmell, 5.1993, [R].
O. umbellatum subsp. angustifolium (Boreau)PD Sell, Along Abington Baulk just out of Royston by-pass in both Bassingbourn and Litlington parishes, 335.406, on site of old heath, PD Sell, 01/74, 27.5.2001.
Shepreth, WH Palmer, 1941. 35
Bourn churchyard, 324.564, J & P Reynolds, 1992, [R].
Big meadow E of top of Comberton Long Rd, 1939, Mills ann.
Church Road, Comberton, on S side of lane by 1st house W of Church, v. abundant, lvs only, AC Leslie, 1976.
Copse to the east of the church at Little Eversden; Newbould, Bab.1860,234.
Little Eversden in Bab. ? 'marsh spinney' EMB.ann.Bab.
Near the Red House & opposite The Fox, Longstowe, lvs only, AC Leslie, ?1977.
Field between the church and brook at Toft; Newbould. Bab.1860,234. 36
Near Pit Dean Farm, 30-64-, arable edge by track, MJ Howe, 1987.
Rsv, Elsworth, 3055.6112, two clumps, D Wells, 7.5.1995, [R].
Lolworth, meadow, 366.642, E Norman & M Stokes et al., 8.6.1996, [R]. 37
Over, WH Palmer, 1941. 38
Puttock Drove, 27.5.1905, AF.ann. 44
Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogllum umbellatum) Sketch & loose specimen. On some old hedge banks in the meadows nearly opposite the Turnpike at Witser Bridge, [Whittlesford] towards Pampisford Mill, when I was a boy, I used, with my father, to gather the common Star of Bethlehem.... Note in 1887 it was growing on this spot profusely, so a friend tells me. GNM. Maynard:4:38.
Rsv close to plantation, Whittlesford, 4658.4794, two plants, A Arbon, 1991.
Hinxton, Mr E Jones, n.d., SWN.
Rowley Hill, [Harston] N Warner, 5.1957.
Thriplow tip, 446.446, GMS Easy, 1977; Thriplow, A Arbon, 1993, [R]. 45
Shelford Common, Dr Adams, 3.5.1835, SWN.
Shelford Common, W.L.P.G. 4.5.1835, SWN.
To right of road to Shelford. Potter. Bab.ann.234.
Nine Wells farm, Shelford, CJ Shepherd, 1939.
Side of Granham's Road, 472.546, WH Palmer, 1941.
Granham's Road, with Iris foetidissima, 467.538, WH Palmer, 1951.
Hedge between Gt Shelford and Trumpington, EA George, 1940.
Grassy area by hedge at begining of FP to Byron's Pool, 438.548, lvs only, AC Leslie, 26.3.1977.
Gogmagog Hills; GH?N, Bab.ann.234.
Road by Duke of Leed's House, Cowell Hb. 3.6.1873, IPS.
Hedge at back of Duke of Leeds Estate, 1884, Shrubbs ann.
Gog Magog Hills, A Shrubbs, 20.6.1887, CGE.
Gogmagog Hills, n.d., DE Coombe, Card Index.
Roman Road, Cambridge, Mrs EM Walker, n.d., CGE.
Gogs, below Roman Rd, 1879, HD ann.
Right hand side of road to Fulbourn, beyond the chalk pits, plentiful in hedge of second field beyond the Plantation, Shrubbs ann.
Lime Kiln Close, 486.562, D Buttle, 1990, [R].
Just on Cambridge side of entrance to Wool street, on slope of hill, Corry. Bab.ann.234.
With Muscari, near Red Cross, Corry, Bab.ann.234.
Gog Magog hills, hedges around golf links, EA George, 1940.
Between beech wood and road on way to Roman Rd, Cambridge, Mills ann.
Hedge by the beechwood, Worts Causeway, JL Crosby, 1939.
Hedgerow near Worts' Causeway, Gog Magog Hills, EA George, 21.5.1940, CGE.
St Neots Rd, 1905, FRA in CBSC.
Cambridge, Bent.ann.
Madingley Road. n.d., DE Coombe, Card Index.
Purbeck Road, Cambridge, WH Palmer, 1941.
St Andrew's churchyard, Chesterton, 463.596, I Gundert, 2.5.1991, [R].
Coton, 410.588, one or two clumps, RH Richens, 3.8.1995, [R].
Harston, field opposite Mr Hayes Farm House, RI Lynch, c. 1900, ann.Bab, CUBG. 46
Chesterton. Bab.1860,234.
Chesterton, A Rees, O Sawyer & A Shearcroft, 1991, [R].
In a field by the river below Ditton; JF Duthie. Bab.ann.234.
Milton Gravel Pit, 478.624, 478.618, GMS Easy, 1971; 477.624, GMS Easy, 1977. 47
Fordham, CEM.ann.
Willingham, CJ Shepherd, 1939. 49
FP along S border of golf course, close to A.142 near March, 404.942, JCA Rathmell in litt. to DE Coombe, 22.5.1991. 54
Naturalized in copse, Gt Abington, B & S Jackson, 1974.
Rsv, 20 paces SE of entrance to western Furze Hill, on SW side of road, 550.486, JCA Rathmell, 1.5.1993; nearby Muscari armeniacum, G Crompton, 7.5.1993. 55
Ornithogalum umbellatum Common Star of Bethlehem. Fulbourn, &c. Relhan,1788; 802;1820.
Fulbourn; Relhan. Bab.1860,234. Fulbourn, 7.6.1910, Gray,ann.
In Mr Hinch's park at Gt Wilbraham. Bab.ann.Relhan,140.
In Mr Hicks's grounds at Wilbraham; SW Wanton. Bab.1860,234 & Bab.MS.Fl.3:739.
In the field opposite the rectory gate, Balsham, RB Smart, 1844, CGE.
In field opposite Rectory gate, Balsham, for last 20 years!; RBS. 1864. Bab.ann.235.
Roadside, Babraham, 1905, FRA in CBSC.
Babraham Road, beyond the hill, EA George, 1940.
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Rsv near Fleam Dyke, 549.542, R Czapik, 2n=54, Wats. June 1968, 6(6):345-348.
Worsted Lodge, besides Roman Road, 53-51-, B Nevinson, 5.1957.
Roadside bank, NW of West Wratting, between 2 road junctions, 585.543, small patch c. 1ft across, PF Yeo, 5.6.1954. 56
In the Pasture field in which the Vicarage House stands at Swaffham Bulbeck I lately discovered in considerable plenty the Ornithogalum Umbellatum, a plant which never occurred to me before. I should hardly think that it could be indigenous in a spot which borders so closely upon a village, though it is to all intents & purposes completely naturalized now, growing freely in large patches all about. What inclines me the more to this opinion is that in the same field are a profusion of Narcissus biflorus which is exceedingly common in gardens but hardly anywhere admitted as a genuine native. On asking one of our villagers who has lived close by all his life, whether he has any recollection of there ever having been a garden there, he told me in the affirmative, that he himself had cultivated that very spot as an orchard & garden for many years during the time of the late Vicar but added that he found the plants growing there when he came into possession, before the garden was made up, and concluded by saying that he remembered noticing the Narcissus biflorus as far back as his recollection could take him. For my own part I have no doubse plants owe their origin to a garden which once existed there, but now so many years back, possibly 50 or 60 , that they are become completely naturalized, & will not be lost again in that spot, though perhaps they may not spread much. 31.5.1825 Jenyns,JNH.
Bulbeck, L.J., 31.5.1825, BATHG.
Swaffham Bulbeck. In a pasture at Swaffham Lode. Jenyns ann.Relhan,1820.
Swaffham Bulbeck, in the field in which the Vicarage House stands, but there before the house was built, or any garden made. (On the banks of the stream by the side of that field, in 2 or 3 places, - maybe also found quite naturalized Narcissus biflorus. It was there when I first went to to Swaffham Bulb. in 1823, & I left it there in 1849.) Jenyns,1860.
Swaffham Bulbeck, GB Jermyn, 31.5.1825, CGE.
Swaffham Bulbeck!; H. was in the field where the Vicarage house stands before the garden was made or house built; LJ. Bab.ann.234.
Swaffham Bulbeck!; Henslow. Bab.1860,234.
Half a mile W of Swaffham Bulbeck, 548.628, PF Yeo, 5.1956.
On W side of Whiteway Drove, Swaffham Bulbeck, 551.629, P Stebbings, 1991.
The plant was formerly abundant on Eke's Close, Swaffham Prior, before ploughing in 1962; still occurs on the neighbouring unploughed Long Close, at Swaffham Prior, JW Clarke, 1992.
On S side of Whiteway Drove, Swaffham Prior, 550.654, P Stebbings, 1990-1992.
The Ornithogalum umbellatum also grew in a pasture at Bottisham Lode. Jenyns,1860.
Bottisham Lode; LJ. Bab.ann.234.
Bottisham churchyard, E Norman & K Tucker, 18.5.1995.
I agree with my own observations, this plant appears to be native. When Lammas meadows at Burwell were first ploughed in 1961-1962, thousands of bulbs were ploughed out and some were taken by men working there for their gardens. JW Clarke, (1992).
Galley Hill, Devil's Ditch, JW Clarke, 1969.
One plant flowering near top of Devil's Ditch between road and Galley Hill with Endymion also flowering, Cttee Walk, 1975.
Devil's Ditch, west bank, 58-64-, MJ O'Leary, 1993, [R].
Lode, WH Palmer, 1941. 57
Dimmock's Cote, 539.722, B Routledge, 1974.
Dimmocks Cote, 540.730, c. 50 clumps in leaf in 20 x 30 m. with Rumex acetosa, Plant lan, Ranun rep, Ranun acris, & 2 clumps of Galanthus nivalis, Agrop rep, Urtic dio, CJ Cadbury, 17.4.1982; also 1 plant in fl. in adjacent meadow, 541.722, (see also Sangu off), CJ Cadbury, 5.1981; not seen, CJ Cadbury, 21.4.1990.
Qua Fen Common, 598.738, damp grassland, R Payne, 5.1981.
Broad Piece meadows, colony still present where spraying is difficult, 586.738, GMS Easy, 1999.
Near Ely, W Cross. Bennett,1899,246.
Moat Closes, Soham, (meadow near Village College), 593.724, ME Smith, 2.5.1976; large flowering clumps, with Saxifraga granulata, G Crompton & R Payne, 1.6.1977; none found, G Crompton, R Payne & DA Wells, 30.5.1978; meadow ploughed up, 1980. 58
Littleport, FP29, C Turner & M Hardy, 17.5.1997, [R].
In regularly mown grass in Cemetery, Ely, Payne,2002,12. 65
N boundary of Lucy Wood, 682.571, with Galanthus nivalis, AC Leslie, 4.1978.
Rsv, Willingham Green, 626.542, AC Leslie, 1978.
Shuckburgh Castle, Newmarket Heath, CC Babington, 28.6.1855, CGE; Bab.1860,234. 66
Roadway towards Chippenham Fen by belt of Pine Trees, Chippenham, A Shrubbs, 6.1911, CGE.
Between Bury Hill & Limekilns, one clump in beech belt, 662.650, AC Leslie, 13.4.1985.
E of Devils Ditch where the Newmarket Rd crosses a little to the S. Mills ann.
Edge of Fordham Wood, 634.699, MJ O'Leary, 12.7.1994, [R].
Kennett village, R Payne, 30.5.1991, [R]. 67
2 or 3 plants in meadow, just over the stile, [Green Hills, Soham] 609.721, MJ O'Leary, 1991.
Soham Wet Horse fen meadows, 612.725, one patch, GMS Easy, 1999.
Fordham, CEM.ann. 76
Hedge by roadside by Kentford Heath, 707.685, PD Sell 54/11, 3.6.1954, CGE.
Kennett, within 10 yards of road on 'heath' under oak, with Saxifraga granulata, 705.685, JCA Rathmell, 10.5.1993; 707.686, JCA Rathmell, 12.5.1997, [R].
Kennett churchyard, G Crompton & R Payne, 30.5.1991, [R]. 40
Wisbech; Balding. Bab.1860,234. 41
Foul Anchor, JE Gibbons, 1961.
