Lily of the valley

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis; Ukrainian: konvaliia). A low perennial herb of the lily family Liliaceae, usually with two large oblong leaves and a raceme of small, fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers. In Ukraine it grows wild in woods and shrubbery and is cultivated as a decorative plant. A valuable medicinal plant, lily of the valley contains glycosides, and infusions of the flowers are used in the treatment of heart conditions.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993).]