Fritillaria meleagris
Encyclopedia
Fritillaria meleagris is a fritillary in the family Liliaceae
. Its common names include Snake's Head Fritillary, Snake's Head (the original English name), Checkered Daffodil, Chess Flower, Frog-cup, Guinea-hen Flower, Leper Lily (because its shape resembled the bell once carried by lepers
), Frog-cup, Lazarus bell or, in northern Europe, simply Fritillary.
s. It is commonly found growing in grasslands in damp soils and river meadows and can be found at altitudes up to 800 metres.
but in many places (including France, Slovenia and Romania) it is an endangered species
that is rarely found in the wild but is commonly grown in gardens. In Croatia, the flower is known as kockavica and is associated by some with the country's national symbol. It is the official flower of the Swedish province of Uppland
, where it grows in large quantities every spring at the meadows in Kungsängen, just outside Uppsala
, which gives the flower its Swedish name, kungsängslilja. It is also found in Sandemar strandängar (Sandemar beach meadows), a nature reserve west of the village of Dalarö
in the Stockholm archipelago
.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom there is some disagreement amongst botanists as to whether the Snake's Head is a native species or a long-established garden escapee. The plant was first described in the 16th century by herbalist John Gerard
who had only known of it as a garden plant and it was not recorded in the wild until 1736, which has led some to argue that that it must be an escapee. However, the fact that its habitat is usually confined to ancient hay meadow
s and it does not easily spread to adjoining land, leads others to the conclusion that it is a native species which became isolated from the European population when Britain was cut off from mainland Europe after the last glacial period. The plant was once abundant in the UK, particularly in the Thames Valley
and parts of Wiltshire
, and was collected in vast quantities to be sold as a cut flower in the markets of London
, Oxford
and Birmingham
. During World War II
most of the ancient meadows were ploughed up and turned over to the production of food crops, destroying much of the Snake's Head's habitat. Although it is still a popular garden plant it is now rare in the wild, although there are some notable sites where it is still found, such as the meadows at Magdelen College, Oxford and the Oxfordshire village of Ducklington
, which holds a "Fritillary Sunday" festival It is also found in the North Meadow
National Nature Reserve, Wiltshire and the Mickfield Meadow
nature reserve in Suffolk
. In 2002 it was chosen as the County flower
of Oxfordshire following a poll by the wild flora conservation charity Plantlife
.
Liliaceae
The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
. Its common names include Snake's Head Fritillary, Snake's Head (the original English name), Checkered Daffodil, Chess Flower, Frog-cup, Guinea-hen Flower, Leper Lily (because its shape resembled the bell once carried by lepers
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
), Frog-cup, Lazarus bell or, in northern Europe, simply Fritillary.
Description and habitat
The flower has a chequered pattern in shades of purple, or is sometimes pure white. It flowers from March to May and grows between 15 and 40 cm in height. The plant has a round bulb, about 2 cm in diameter which contains poisonous alkaloidAlkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
s. It is commonly found growing in grasslands in damp soils and river meadows and can be found at altitudes up to 800 metres.
Distribution
The Snake's Head Fritillary is native to EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
but in many places (including France, Slovenia and Romania) it is an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
that is rarely found in the wild but is commonly grown in gardens. In Croatia, the flower is known as kockavica and is associated by some with the country's national symbol. It is the official flower of the Swedish province of Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
, where it grows in large quantities every spring at the meadows in Kungsängen, just outside Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, which gives the flower its Swedish name, kungsängslilja. It is also found in Sandemar strandängar (Sandemar beach meadows), a nature reserve west of the village of Dalarö
Dalarö
Dalarö is a locality situated in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 1,190 inhabitants in 2005.It is situated south-east of Stockholm and is part of Metropolitan Stockholm and serves as a recreational summer spot for Stockholmers...
in the Stockholm archipelago
Stockholm archipelago
The Stockholm archipelago is the largest archipelago of Sweden, and one of the largest archipelagos of the Baltic Sea.-Geography:The archipelago extends from Stockholm roughly 60 kilometers to the east...
.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom there is some disagreement amongst botanists as to whether the Snake's Head is a native species or a long-established garden escapee. The plant was first described in the 16th century by herbalist John Gerard
John Gerard
John Gerard aka John Gerarde was an English herbalist notable for his herbal garden and botany writing. In 1597 he published a large and heavily illustrated "Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes", which went on to be the most widely circulated botany book in English in the 17th century...
who had only known of it as a garden plant and it was not recorded in the wild until 1736, which has led some to argue that that it must be an escapee. However, the fact that its habitat is usually confined to ancient hay meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s and it does not easily spread to adjoining land, leads others to the conclusion that it is a native species which became isolated from the European population when Britain was cut off from mainland Europe after the last glacial period. The plant was once abundant in the UK, particularly in the Thames Valley
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...
and parts of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, and was collected in vast quantities to be sold as a cut flower in the markets of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
most of the ancient meadows were ploughed up and turned over to the production of food crops, destroying much of the Snake's Head's habitat. Although it is still a popular garden plant it is now rare in the wild, although there are some notable sites where it is still found, such as the meadows at Magdelen College, Oxford and the Oxfordshire village of Ducklington
Ducklington
Ducklington is a village and civil parish on the River Windrush south of Witney in West Oxfordshire.-History:Ducklington is one of the first Saxon parishes to be recorded in Oxfordshire. In a charter of AD 958 King Edgar the Peaceable granted at Ducklington to his Minister, Eanulf...
, which holds a "Fritillary Sunday" festival It is also found in the North Meadow
North Meadow, Cricklade
North Meadow, Cricklade is a hay meadow near the village of Cricklade, in Wiltshire, England. It is 24.6 hectares in size.Over 250 species of higher plant occur in the meadow, but it is of particular note as it holds by far the largest British population of the Snake's-head Fritillary...
National Nature Reserve, Wiltshire and the Mickfield Meadow
Mickfield
Mickfield is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around five miles north-east of Stowmarket, in 2005 its population was 200....
nature reserve in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. In 2002 it was chosen as the County flower
County flowers of the United Kingdom
The following are the flowers selected for the historic counties of the United Kingdom in Plantlife's 2002 "County Flowers" campaign...
of Oxfordshire following a poll by the wild flora conservation charity Plantlife
Plantlife
Plantlife is a wild plant conservation charity. As of 2007, its membership was 10,500 and it owned 23 nature reserves around the UK.-History:It was founded in 1989 with its first President being Professor David Bellamy. By 1999 it had 22 nature reserves....
.