W. J. BealBotanical Garden

Of interest this week at Beal...

SnowdropsGalanthus nivalisFamily: the Amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae.Also called Candlemas bells, Fair Maids in February

Common Snowdrops are very early appearing woodland ephemerals native to Europe and subsequently introduced to Great Britain and elsewhere. Its common name, Candlemas Bells, refers to its flowers appearing, near February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Candlemas). While they were seen as a hopeful sign at the end of winter, they were also regarded as an omen of death. In the West of England people believed bringing snowdrops into the house before the first chickens of the year were hatched, would spoil the eggs.

Galanthus nivalis have been considered part of the greater lily family (the Liliaceae). However those wishing to refocus the lily family have placed snowdrops within the Amaryllis family, the Amaryllidaceae. The Giant Snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii is native to the Eastern Mediterranean. The genus name derives from the Greek gala = milk and anthus = flower, and the species epithet nivalis means ‘of the snow.’

Snowdrops grow best in light shade with moist but well drained soil. Many advocate planting the bulbs within the ‘drip line’ of an established tree so they enjoy strong

but dappled sunshine in early Spring, and deeper shade once the overarching tree has grown its canopy of leaves. They seem to do best without fertilizer and the bulbs can be spread by a variety of small animals including moles and voles. Although, especially with the help of bees, they are said to be self-seeding, they are widely regarded as needing three to four years to reach flowering size. The many varieties, most distinguished from each other by the subtle configuration of the green markings that decorate the tepals, include both single- and double-flowered forms.

Snowdrops have long been used in European folk medicine. In the 1950s, a Bulgarian pharmacologist noticed that local villagers were rubbing wild-growing snowdrops against their foreheads for relief of nerve pain. Subsequent study showed that a

snowdrop alkaloid, named galantamine, helped inhibit acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that blocks acetycholine, an important nerve messenger. Reduction in brain acetylcholine is believed to be responsible for some of the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Blocking the enzyme that destroys acetylcholine means that galantamine can increase levels of beneficial acetylcholine in the brain. Galantamine, was approved by the FDA in 2001, and in 2005, its brand name was changed from Reminyl to Razadyne. Interestingly, in 1990 Dudkin et al. showed galantamine enhanced color perception in monkeys.

Cross-section of snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, showing parts of two of the three locules of the ovary.

Galantamine (inset) is the compound that provides the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that gives this plant its place in the world of Alzheimer’s treatments. Although found in snow-drops, galantamine has since been found in daffodils (Narcissus) and produced synthetically.