ALLIUM BOURGEAUI subsp. CRETICUM

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

Common Names:- Cretan gorge onion.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Allium creticum.

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

Bourgeaui (L) For Eugene Boureau (1813-77) French traveller and

collector.

Creticum (L) From Crete.

General description:- Bulbous perennial plant.

Bulbs:-

1) c. 1,5cm diam, ovoid.

Stems:-

1) Up to 60-115 cm.

Leaves:-

1) 4-11, 6-25 mm wide, linear, flat, keeled, with the margin scabrid, sheathing the

lower, 1/3-1/2 of the stem, withered at anthesis.

2) Spathe, 1-valved, quickly caducous, ovate at base, abruptly contracted above

into a beak up to 15 cm.

Flowers:-

1) Umbel, 5-6 cm diam, almost globular or hemispherical, many-flowered.

2) Pedicels,10-25 mm, almost equal.

3) Perianth, cylindrical, campanulate, ellipsoid or ovoid; segments 2·5-5·5 X 1-2·5

mm, cymbiform, the outer mostly lanceolate and acute or obtuse, the inner

narrowly oblong and obtuse or truncate.

4) Stamens, long-exserted.

5) Filaments, outer 3, 3·5-4·5 mm, simple, inner 3 with the basal lamina about

twice as long as the central cusp, ciliate.

6) Anthers, yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, c. 4 mm

Key features:-

1) Stem, 45-90 cm.

2) Umbel, 5-6 cm in diam.

3) Perianth ellipsoid or ovoid, reddish; outer segments 4-5 mm, with small and large

papillae especially along keel.

4) Anthers, yellow.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous cliffs (alt. 0-800 m)

Distribution:- Cretan endemic, fairy widespread and locally abundant.

Flowering time:- June-July

Photos by:- Steve Lenton