Allium nigrum

Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 1: 430. 1762.

Common names: Black garlic Homer’s garlic
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 243. Mentioned on page 224, 225, 228.

Bulbs 3–4, not clustered on stout, primary rhizomes, ovoid, asymmetric, 2.5–3 × 2–5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light yellow to light-brown, thin, papery, chartaceous, cells narrow, vertically elongate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells narrow, vertically elongate. Leaves usually persistent, 3–6, scarcely ensheathing scape even basally, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 10–60 cm × 10–25 mm, margins entire. Scape usually persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, fistulose, 60–100 cm × 5–10 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, compact, 75–150-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 11+-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. Flowers stellate to subcampanulate, 6–9 mm; tepals ± spreading, white with green midvein, narrowly oblong, ± equal, becoming ± rigid and reflexed in fruiting, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens included; anthers yellow or purple, aborting without producing pollen; ovary crestless; style linear, ± equaling tepals; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed; pedicel 25–40 mm. Seed-coat not known.


Phenology: Flowering Jun.
Habitat: Disturbed roadsides
Elevation: 100–200 m

Distribution

Introduced; Oreg., native to Mediterranean, cultivated in Europe

Discussion

Native to the Mediterranean and long-cultivated in Europe, Allium nigrum is reported to be well established near Perrydale, Oregon, and may be expected elsewhere in North America. This species is remarkable in its lack of an onion/garlic odor. It is also unusual in having more than two ovules in each locule, a characteristic of sect. Melanocrommyum Webb & Berthelot but otherwise unusual in the genus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thicker" is not a number."broad" is not a number.

... more about "Allium nigrum"
purple +  and yellow +
versatile +  and dorsifixed +
cordate +  and linear +
obtuse +  and acuminate +
Dale W. McNeal Jr. +  and T. D. Jacobsen +
Linnaeus +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
dilated +
straight +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
channeled +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
conspicuous +
1;several +
2.5cm +  and 3cm +
3 +  and 4 +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
light yellow;light-brown +
roughened +  and smooth +
elongate +
Black garlic +  and Homer’s garlic +
Oreg. +, native to Mediterranean +  and cultivated in Europe +
100–200 m +
connate-coroniform +  and dilated +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
stellate +  and subcampanulate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
loculicidal +
membranaceous +  and leathery +
Disturbed roadsides +
paired +, paniculate +  and racemose +
persistent +
gray +  and brown +
crested;3-lobed +
many;several +
spreading +  and erect +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
membranous +
zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
Flowering Jun. +
Sp. Pl. ed. +
persistent +
60cm +  and 100cm +
fistulose +  and terete +
5mm +  and 10mm +
wind-distributed +
1 +  and many +
obovoid +
Introduced +
adnate +  and free +
1 +  and several +
Allium nigrum +
species +
persisting +
distinct +
reflexed +  and spreading +
equaling +  and equal +
sepaloid +  and petaloid +
narrower +
75-150-flowered +
persistent +
hemispheric-globose +
9 +, 8 +  and 7 +