Allium carinatum, the keeled garlic[4] or witch's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is widespread across central and southern Europe, with some populations in Asiatic Turkey. It is cultivated in many places as an ornamental and also for its potently aromatic bulbs used as a food flavoring.[5]
| Allium carinatum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Allium carinatum[1] | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Genus: | Allium |
| Subgenus: | A. subg. Allium |
| Species: | A. carinatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Allium carinatum | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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Species synonymy
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- Varieties
Numerous botanical names have been coined within the species at the varietal level, but only two are recognized:[6]
- Allium carinatum subsp. carinatum - most of species range
- Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum (G.Don) Bonnier & Layens - central Europe + Balkans
Description
editAllium carinatum produces a single small bulb rarely more than 15 mm long, flat leaves, and an umbel up to 60 cm tall of purple to reddish-purple flowers. The flowers are on long pedicels and often nodding (hanging downwards).[7][8]
Distribution
editAllium carinatum is considered native to the Mediterranean Region from Spain to Turkey, north to Sweden and the Baltic Republics. It is naturalized in the British Isles[6]
Cultivation
editA. carinatum subsp. pulchellum[9] and the white flowering form A. carinatum subsp. pulchellum f. album[10] have both gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
References
edit- ^ 1796 painting, Figure 38 from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen at http://www.biolib.de Author Johann Georg Sturm, Painted by Jacob Sturm; published by Kurt Stüber
- ^ Korpelainen, H.; Holubec, V.; Asdal, Å.; Magos Brehm, J.; Labokas, J.; Vögel, R.; Eliáš, P. (2011). "Allium carinatum (Europe assessment)". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T172195A6846884. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ The Plant List
- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ "Allium carinatum". Plants for a Future.
- ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Linnaeus, Carl. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 297.
- ^ Altervista Schede di Botanica, Allium carnatum
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum". Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum f. album". Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.