Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Amaryllidaceae Genus Nothoscordum | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Subfamily Allioideae Rank Species | |
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Similar Nothoscordum, Allium canadense, Diodia virginiana, Rubus flagellaris, Camassia scilloides | ||
Nothoscordum bivalve is a species of flowering plant in the Amaryllidaceae known by the common names crowpoison and false garlic. It is native to the southern United States from Arizona to Virginia, as well as Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, northeastern Argentina and central Chile.
Nothoscordum bivalve is a perennial herb growing from a bulb about a centimeter wide. It produces one erect stem, or occasionally two. They grow up to 40 centimeters tall. There are one to four narrow leaves up to 30 centimeters long. The inflorescence is an umbel of 3 to 6 flowers, or sometimes up to 10. There are two bracts at the base of the umbel. The flower has six whitish tepals, each of which usually has a dark reddish midvein. The flower has no scent. The fruit is a capsule.
This is a common plant which grows in parks and on roadsides, and soils which are not too dry or too wet; it grows well in lawns. It is a favorite nectar source for small butterflies such as the falcate orangetip.
