ALLIUM PALLENS

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

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Allium paniculatum proles pallens, Allium

paniculatum subsp. pallens, Allium paniculatum var. pallens, Kalabotis

pallens. Raphione pallens.

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

Pallens (L) Pale, greenish.

General description:- Bulbous perennial plants, usually smelling strongly of garlic

or onion.

Bulb:-

1) 1-1·5 cm diam. outer tunic membranous.

Stem:-

1) 20-80 cm. rather robust.

Leaves:-

1) 3-4, 6-16(-30) cm x 0·5-2(-5) mm. filiform to linear, sheathing the stem up to

halfway, linear, glabrous.

Flowers:-

1) Spathe, 2-valved;

a) valves, unequal, persistent, narrowly ovate or lanceolate at the base,

contracted above into a slender appendage, longer than the pedicels, the

longest 2·5-10 cm.

2) Umbel, 1·5-3·5 cm diam. hemispherical or fastigiate, compact.

c) 10- to 70-flowered.

d) pedicels, 5-15 mm, almost equal, up to 25 mm in fruit.

3) Perianth:

a) narrowly bell-shaped (campanulate);

4) Perianth:segments:

a) 3·5-5 x 1·5-2 mm.

b) white or pink.

c) narrowly oblong, slightly wider above than below the middle.

5) Stamens:

a) included, with partly exserted anthers;

b) filaments 3·5-4 mm, almost as long as the segments, united (connate) at the

base into a ring (annulus) 1 mm high.

c) anthers yellow.

6) Ovary:

a) narrowly ellipsoid.

b) 2-3 times as long as wide when the flower is fully open (at anthesis).

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 4 mm.

Key features:-

1) Stem, 20-80 cm. rather robust.

2) Umbels, dense.

3) Perianth segments, greenish-white, sometimes tinged pink.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Usually in disturbed habitats (fallow fields, vineyards, olive groves

roadsides), occasionally in open shrubby vegetation. 0-600 m.

Distribution:- Scattered across the Aegean, but widespread in the Mediterranean

area. Rare on Crete currently known from only two locations

Flowering time:- May-July

Photos by:- Marinos Gogolos