Allium sphaerocephalon, L.

90. A. sphaerocephalon L. , Sp. Pl. 291 (1753) View Cited Treatment .

Bulbs 1-2 cm in diameter, ovoid; outer tunics membranous or coriaceous, sometimes breaking into parallel fibres; bulblets white or yellow­ ish, acuminate, stalked and enclosed within sheath on lower part of the stem. Stem 5-90 cm. Leaves 2-6, up to 30 cm x 1-4 mm, fistular, semicylindiical, canaliculate, sheathing the lower of the stem. Spathe up to 2 cm, usually 2-valved, shortly beaked, persistent, shorter than the umbel. Umbel 1 -6 cm in diameter, usually less than 3 cm, subglobose to very broadly ovoid, some­ times with bulbils; pedicels 2-30 mm, unequal. Perianth cylin­ drical to narrowly ovoid; segments 3 -5-5-5 x 1 -2-2-5 mm, pink to dark reddish-purple or white with green or yellowish keel, the outer mostly narrowly ovate or lanceolate, keeled, the inner slightly narrower, obtuse to almost truncate or subacute, papil­

lose or smooth on keel and surface. Stamens exserted; outer 3 filaments 4-7 mm, simple or rarely tricuspidate, the inner 3 with the basal lamina 1-2 times as long as the central cusp, the lateral cusps shorter to longer than the 1 -5-3 mm central cusp; anthers reddish before dehiscence. Capsule c. 4 mm. Cultivated ground and other dry, open habitats. Europe, northwards to Belgium and S. C. Russia. Al Au Be?B1 Br Bu Co Cz Ga Ge Gr He Hs Hu It Ju Lu Po Rm Rs (C, W, K, E) Sa Si Tu. (A. Africa.)

A very variable and plastic species with some local differentiation. Variants with bulbils in the umbel have been named A. loscosii K. Richter , Pl. Eur. 1:199 (1890) ( A. purpureum Loscos , non Salisb.).

The following are sometimes treated as distinct species.

1 Perianth-segments pink or reddish-purple (a) subsp. sphaerocephalon

1 Perianth-segments white with green or yellowish keel

2 Perianth and pedicels smooth (b) subsp. arvense

2 Perianth and pedicels papillose (c) subsp. trachypus