ALLIUM LONGANUM

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

Common name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None.

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

Longanum (L) From an Indian vernacular name "longyen" for the fruit

of Euphorbia longana

General description:- Short to medium, bulbous perennial, smelling strongly of

onion or garlic when crushed.

Bulbs:-

1) 0·8-1·5 cm. diam, ovoid; outer tunics membranous, not pitted.

Stems:-

1) 15-42 cm, terete.

Leaves:-

1) 2-3, up to 300 x 3-8 mm, linear.sparsely or profusely ciliate.

Flowers:-

1) Spathe, up to 1·5 cm.1-valved, often 2-lobed, persistent, a little shorter than the

pedicels.

2) Umbel, 2-4·5 cm. diam. fastigiate, with 6-25 flowers.

3) Pedicels

a) 8-20 mm.

4) Perianth, campanulate.

5) Perianth segments, white, pink-tinged, narrowly oblong, unequal.

a) outer 7-12 x 4·5-6 mm.

b) inner 6-10 x 3-4·5 mm, truncate-rounded and emarginate.

6) Stamens, included.

a) filaments unequal, outer, 3·5-4·5 mm, inner. 5-6·5 mm, narrowly triangular.

7) Anthers yellow.

Fruit:- Capsule 4 mm.

Key features:-

1) Stamens, 1/3-2/3 as long as perianth-segments.

2) Perianth-segments, 3·5-6 mm. wide, with almost truncate-indented apex.

3) Filaments, triangular.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal cliffs and dry open shrubby vegetation on hillslopes, 0-250 m

Distribution:- Sparsely scattered across the Aegean region, also in Cyrenaica and

coasts of Egypt. An example of the phytogeographical connection between the S

Aegean area and N Africa (notably Cyrenaica). Rare on Crete known from the far

north east and the islands of Gavdopoula and Gavdos.

Flowering time:- End of Mar to mid-May.

Photos by:- Christopher Cheiladakis