Fritillaria meleagris
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 Snake's Head Fritillaria (Fritillaria meleagris)
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| Fritillaria meleagris L. |
Fritillaria meleagris, commonly known as Snakes's head (the original English name), and also Snake's Head Fritillary, Leper Lily, and Guinea-hen Flower (possibly also checkered daffodil) is a fritillary, a flower from the family Liliaceae.
The flower has a checkered reddish-brown, purple, white and gray coloration, sometimes mostly white. It blossoms from March to May and grows anywhere between 15 and 40 cm in height. It has a globulous bulb which contains poisonous alkaloids.
The plant is commonly found growing in grasslands in damp soils and river meadows. It can be found at altitudes up to 800 metres.
It is native to Europe, but in many places, including France, Slovenia and Romania it is an endangered species that is rarely found in the wild, but is common in horticulturists' gardens. In Croatia the flower is known as Kockavica and is part of the country's national symbol. It is the only species of Fritillary native to Britain, growing in traditional grass meadows. Due to changing land usage, it is now quite rare in the wild. The Meadow of Magdalen College, Oxford is one of the best places to see it, along with the North Meadow National Nature Reserve in Wiltshire.
[edit] See also
- The Leper Lily is the official flower of the Swedish province of Uppland .
[edit] External links
 Snake's Head Lily |
 Close up of the Snakeshead Fritillary (Taken at Magdalen College, Oxford) |
 Snakeshead Fritillary (Taken at Audubon's marsh - West France) |
