Ορνιθόγαλο το αποκλινόμενο
Etymology of Ornithogalum divergens: Ancient Greek "ὀρνιθόγαλον" [ornithogalon] derives from "ὄρνιθος + γάλα" [ornithos + gala] and literally means "hen's milk" which is an expression for the "abundance, richness, splendid", referring to the abundance/splendidness of flowers of the initially named Ornithogalum species (if that initial plant was one or more). "Divergens" is New Latin and it means "divergent", referring to its divergent pedicels.
Six Ornithogalum species have so far been identified in the Cypriot habitat, of which one grows exclusively in occupied Cyprus.
Ornithogalum divergens is an uncommon plant in Cyprus, like most Ornithogalums. It usually blooms between March and April, hence it has a short flowering period. Ornithogalum divergens grows at an altitude of up to 925 metres. It is indigenous but not endemic. Ornithogalum divergens is not a common plant in Cyprus but there are plenty of it in Polemi village, Pafos, where this picture was taken.
How to identify Ornithogalum divergens:
Ornithogalum divergens is very similar to the Ornithogalum pedicellare species but it has a different stemon. In pedicellare the pollen tube constitutes one stigma and in divergens six stigmas.
Additionally, compared to Ornithogalum trichophyllum which's lower pedicels are 1-1.5 cm long, Ornithogalum divergens's lower pedicels are 5-8 cm long and its leaves have a pale median stripe.
