Syn.: Gagea zauschneri (Pohl) Pascher, Ornithogalum bohemicum Zauschn., Ornithogalum zauschneri Pohl, Reggeria bohemica (Zauschn.) Raf., Stellaris bohemica (Zauschn.) Samp., Stellaster bohemicus (Zauschn.) Kuntze
Family: Liliaceae Juss.
Distribution: Western, central and southern Europe – from Britain and Spain to Greece, Turkey and Israel. It was described from specimens collected in Prague in 1776. The species is variable, several subspecies are recognized – the nominate subspecies (our pictures, throughout the range of the species except France and Sicily), G. b. subsp. gallica (western France), subsp. nebrodensis (northern Sicily), subsp. saxatilis (western European subspecies).
Ecology: It grows on dry grasslands, stony slopes and in rocky steppes. It flowers from February to March, one of the first flowering plants.
Description: Perennial herb with 2 bulbs in a common tunic. Plant usually 2–8 cm tall, stem erect, solitary, unbranched, leafy, velutinous or glabrous. Basal leaves 2, filiform, arise directly from the bulb, white-pubescent or glabrous, cauline alternate, lanceolate, acuminate, more or less glabrous. Flowers 1–3, perianth-segments 13–17 mm long, obovate-oblong, obtuse, yellow inside and greenish-yellow outside. Fruit an obovoid capsule with many seeds.
Threat and protection: The species is protected by law in France, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary.
These images were taken in Czechia, Bohemia, Stráň u Chroustova (February 22, 2014).
