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Convallaria
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Convallaria majalis, commonly known as the Lily of the Valley or Lily-of-the-Valley, is the only species in the genus Convallaria in the flowering plant family Ruscaceae, formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae or in its own family called Convallariaceae. This woodland plant is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe and a limited native population in Eastern USA (Convallaria majalis var.
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Encyclopedia
Convallaria majalis, commonly known as the Lily of the Valley or Lily-of-the-Valley, is the only species in the genus Convallaria in the flowering plant family Ruscaceae, formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae or in its own family called Convallariaceae. This woodland plant is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe and a limited native population in Eastern USA (Convallaria majalis var. montana). There is, however, some debate as to the native status of the American species.
Description
C. majalis is a herbaceous perennial plant that forms extensive colonies by spreading underground stems called rhizomes. New upright shoots are formed at the ends of stolons in summer, these upright dormant stems are often called pips. These grow in the spring into new leafy shoots that still remain connected to the other shoots under ground, often forming extensive colonies. The stems grow to 15-30 cm tall, with one or two leaves 10-25 cm long, flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex. The flowers are white tepals (rarely pink), bell-shaped, 5-10 mm diameter, and sweetly scented; flowering is in late spring, in mild winters in early March. The fruit is a small orange-red berry 5-7 mm diameter that contains a few large whitish to brownish colored seeds that dry to a clear translucent round bead 1 to 3 mm wide. Plants are self-sterile, and colonies of one clone do not set seed.
Taxonomy
There are three subspecies that have sometimes been separated out as distinct species by a few botanists.
- Convallaria majalis var. keiskei - from China and Japan with red fruit and bowl shaped flowers
- Convallaria majalis var. majalis - from Eurasia with white midribs on the flowers.
- Convallaria majalis var. montana - from the USA with green tinted midribs on the flowers.
Garden Use
Convallaria majalis is a popular garden plant, grown for its scented flowers and for its ground covering abilities in shady locations. Various forms are grown, including those with double flowers, rose colored flowers, variegated foliage and forms that grow larger than the typical species. Some consider it a weed, as it can spread over a wide area in gardens and can be difficult to contain or remove.
Lily-of-the-Valley is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Grey Chi.
Legend and tradition
The flower is also known as Our Lady's tears since, according to Christian legend, the lily of the valley came into being from Eve's tears after she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. According to another legend, Lilies of the Valley also sprang from the blood of Saint Leonard of Noblac during his battles with a dragon. Other names include May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Male Lily and Muguet.
Traditionally, Lily of the Valley is sold in the streets of France on May 1. Lily of the Valley became the national flower of Finland in 1967. The Norwegian municipality Lunner has a Lily of the Valley in its coat-of-arms. It is the official flower of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Kappa Sigma fraternity, Delta Omicron fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, and Alpha Phi sorority. The lily of the valley is also in the Chattock family crest held by a gauntlet.
The name "Lily of the Valley" is also used in some English translations of the Bible in Song of Songs 2:1, although whether or not the Hebrew word "shoshana" (usually denoting a rose) originally used there refers to this species is uncertain. The meaning of this flower is "You will find Happiness."
Poisonous
All parts, including the berries, of the Lily of the Valley are highly poisonous. Roughly 38 different cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) have been found in the plant, some among others:
- convallarin
- convallamarin
- convallatoxin
- convallotoxoloside
- convallosid
- neoconvalloside
- glucoconvalloside
- majaloside
- convallatoxon
- corglycon
- cannogenol-3-O-a-L-rhamnoside
- cannogenol-3-O-ß-D-allomethyloside
- cannogenol-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-allosido-ß-D-glucoside,
- cannogenol-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-allosido-a-L-rhamnoside,
- strophanthidin-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-allosido-a-L-rhamnoside,
- strophanthidin-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-allosido-a-L-arabinoside,
- strophanthidin-3-O-a-L-rhamnosido-2-ß-D-glucoside,
- sarmentogenin-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-allosido-a-L-rhamnoside
- sarmentogenin-3-O-6-deoxy-ß-D-guloside
- 19-hydroxy-sarmentogenin-3-O-a-L-rhamnoside,
- 19-hydroxy-sarmentogenin
- arabinosido-6-deoxyallose
- lokundjoside
The plant also contains saponins. Although deadly, the plant has been used as a folk remedy in moderate amounts. If the plant is touched or handled, hands should be washed before doing anything else.
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