Snake's Head Fritillary

Black and White today. This is such an unusual flower and it's striking blooms deserve a colour Blip, if the cold snap doesn't kill it before it opens fully. I'd prefer there to be sunshine to highlight it's heads. They're considered by many to be a British Wild Flower, whilst others argue that they've escaped from gardens. I've never seen it grow in the wild and although the meadows were reputed to be teeming with them at one time, they are now on the endangered list.

Snake's Head Fritillary or Fritillaria meleagris L., if you prefer the Latin, is a member of the lilly family. It's known also by many other common names including Leper Lily, Chequer Lily, Guinea Hen Flower, Chess Flower and Lazarus Bells. The name in Latin words, translates as dicebox and spotted like the guinea fowl.

There is not much in the way of Folklore for this plant other than, shamefully, associating it with sinister and deceit. It is poisonous but there are no records of it having caused any harm. It's only blame is to hang it's head like a snake or of the bell a leper might carry. I prefer to whimsically liken it to a chess board or the noisy birds from which it takes it's second name.

There are a few references for Fritillary being used in Chinese medicine and obsolete usage in Europe but nothing I would quote. If anyone knows anything more than I, please, inform me... before the sun comes out!

Easily found in garden centres as potted plants and bulbs, if you're luck enough to find them in the wild, they should never be picked.