ALLIUM COMMUTATUM

Family and Genus:- See- ALLIACEAE/Sect. ALLIUM

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Allium ampeloprasum var. commutatum, Allium

ampeloprasum subsp. commutatum, Allium rotundum subsp. commutatum,

Allium rotundum f. commutatum.

Meaning:- Allium (L) The ancient Latin name for garlic.

Commutatum (L) Changed, altered. (from previous inclusion in another

species).

General description:- Bulbous perennial plants.

Bulb:-

1) Up to 6 cm in diam. subglobose, outer tunics, membranous or coriaceous,

enclosing large yellowish bulblets.

Stem:-

1) Up to 180 cm. solid.

Leaves:-

1) 5-11, up to 50 × 5 cm, sheathing the lower 1/4-2/3 of the stem, canaliculate but

not keeled, glabrous.

Flowers:-

1) Spathe, 1-valved, with an ovoid base, c. 2 cm, abruptly contracted above into a 2-

edged beak 16-30 cm, caducous.

2) Perianth, ovoid, segments, 4 × 1·5 mm, whitish-pink or dull magenta with a green

or purple keel, All covered externally with microscopic papillae.

a) outer segments. lanceolate, acute, strongly concave.

b) inner segments, narrowly obovate, obtuse, with a serrate margin.

3) Stamens, exserted;

a) outer 3 filaments, c. 5 mm, usually tricuspidate with the basal lamina, c. 0·5

mm wide, or sometimes simple.

b) inner, with the base, c. 1 mm wide, the base and the lateral cusps about as

long as the central cusp.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, c. 4 mm.

Key features:-

1) Outer stamens, often tricuspidate.

2) Inner perianth, segments broadly spathulate.

3) Leaves flat, sometimes keeled.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Often in the epilittoral zone on small islets, occasionally in disturbed

habitats on larger islands and mainland Greece

Distribution:- Scattered in W Greece. - Adriatic coasts, Aegean area and W

Anatolia, very local in Italy. Rare on Crete, known only from a few scattered

coastal areas.

Flowering time:- May-July.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Ori Fragman-Sapir, Flora of Israel & Thomas Giannakis