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Flora Emslandia - Plants in Emsland (northwestern Germany)

Convallaria

Convallaria L.: The origin of the botanical genus name, as well as the English name for Convallaria majalis goes back to a Latin verse. In the Song of Solomon 1.2 states: Ego flos campi et lilium convallium sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias. That which was translated with "Lilium convallium" (lily of the valleys), in the original text is an old Hebrew plant name, that does today not allow clear conclusions about the species anymore. According to medieval notions the name was transferred to a native plant, which never occured in Palestine.

Caspar Bauhin listed in 1693 in his Pinax three species of Lilium convallaria, but they all described the lily of the valley. Linnaeus used in 1753 Convallaria as a generic name and catalogued 8 species. Most of them are now belong to Maianthemum and Polygonatum, only the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) remained in the genus.

The exact number of species is still a matter of academic debate. Mostly three species, for which exist valid descriptions, are accepted: Convallaria keiskei, C. majalis and C. montana. For some botanists C. keiskei and C. montana are only subspecies or even varieties of C. majalis, which would mean that the genus contained only one species. Other scientists in turn split the genus so strongly, that up to 38 species can be distinguished.

The Convallaria species, which are native to the temperate Eurasia and North America are perennial herbs with branched, short rhizomes and underground runners. The 2–3 simple, entire leaves are basal, long stalked, upright and surrounded at the base by a membranous sheath. The leaf blade is glabrous, oblong to broadly elliptic and pointed or acuminate.

The leafless, glabrous shaft posses a unilateral raceme of 5–15 flowers, whose stalk is surrounded at the base by a membranous bract. The nodding, hermaphroditic flowers smell intensively. The 6 tepals are almost completely fused to a spherical bell, just at the top they are free and slightly bent back.

The 6 stamens are united with the corolla tube. The superior ovary has a stylus with a slightly 3-lobed or capitate stigma. After self-pollination or after pollination by bees and bumblebees orange-red, soft, spherical berries with several small, yellow-brown seeds are formed.

Floral formulal:

* [P6 A6] G(3) superior

Historical publications

Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) recommended the lily of the valley eaten raw against rashes or ulcers, in which is poison. Also for epilepsy was the frequent eating of lily of the valley advisable. From today's perspective one can only advise against it due to its toxicity.

Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566) wrote about the "Meyenblümlin" (may flowers), they were called in Greek Ephemeron, in Latin Iris sylvestris and at his time Lilium Convalliu. They possess two green leaves, between them stands a stalk with round white buds that would blossom and became snow-white, hollow flowers, which would look like little church bells (cymbals). All around they were serrate and would smell beyond all measure. After the flowers have fallen, berries were formed similar to those of the asparagus. the decoction of the dried roots would help against toothache, the juice from the flowers was cardiotonic.

Meaning of the species name

• majalis: lat. Maius = May

Interessantes am Rande

• Lilies of the valley containing active cardiac glycosides, similar to foxgloves (Digitalis).

• The flowers are proterandrous and heterostyl (different length of the styles in different individuals), which is intended to prevent self-pollination, but it is not always possible.

• Sometimes the leaves of the lily of the valley may be confused with the edible leaves of bear-leek, what can lead to severe poisoning.

• Convallaria majalis 'Rosea' is a delicate pink flowering cultivar of the lily of the valley, C. majalis 'Pleniflora' has double flowers.

• The flowers of the lily of the valley are used to make perfumes.