Nothoscordum bivalve [Crow Poison]

[dancingcat]

Frary, S. C. (2022) Nothoscordum bivalve (L.) Britton Liliaceae. Crow Poison. Photographed in visible light. Also UV-induced visible fluorescence. LINK

 

Collected in Waxahachie, Texas, 8 April 2022.  Voucher deposit: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Herbarium (BRIT), S. C. Frary [120].

 

Synonyms: Allium bivalve, Ornithogalum bivalve

 

Other Common Names:  False Garlic

 

Comment:
This tiny white wildflower blooms profusely along roadsides and in fields in early spring in north central Texas.  It likes water and it makes roadside ditches look like they are covered in snow.  No one seems to know if it really can poison a crow.  Strong bright yellow UV-induced visible fluorescence from the pollen grains.

 

Reference:  
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin.
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=nobi2

Equipment: [Olympus EM1mk2-broadband + Olympus 60mm f/2.8 macro]

 

Visible Light: [f/11, ISO 200, 1.3”, with Kolari Vision UV/IR hotcut mirror pro 2 filter, ambient indoor light with 1x Adaptalux white light arm]

 

Ultraviolet-Induced Visible Fluorescence: [f/11, ISO 200, 10”, with Kolari Vision UV/IR hotcut mirror pro 2, dark room with static C2 Convoy torch (365 nm)]

[Doug A]

Spectacular color. The Pollen really pops out. Fascinating. 

 

Thanks for sharing,

Doug A

[photoni]

@dancingcat incredible photo

is there an animal that sees those magical colors ?

<3

[Andrea B.]

Good question, Tony.

Not one I know the answer to. 

 

I have read (somewhere) that the visible fluorescence induced by the UV in sunlight can cause a flower to appear more vividly colored during the daytime if the induced fluorescence is particularly strong. Perhaps that additional color boost acts as some kind of signal. 

(Sorry, I don't have the reference for this comment.)

[Andrea B.]

Minor correction - only one Common Name per title. This is for indexing purposes.

[dancingcat]

@photoni  The only discussion of pollinators I could find is this "The nectar of the flowers attracts cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), green metallic bees (Augochlorella spp.) and other Halictid bees, Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), bee flies, and small to medium-sized butterflies. One of the Andrenid bees, Andrena nothoscordi, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege or monolege) of False Garlic"  from the website https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plant_index.htm#false_garlic.

 

I've never seen a pollinator around this flower, but then I mostly drive by masses of it along the roadside and don't actually get out and watch it for bees etc.

[Andrea B.]

The Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem) I had in my back yard in New Jersey was poisonous. It contained toxic glycosides. Don't know if all Ornithogalum contain this?