Allium

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Allium

Allium is the onion

Onion

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa....
genus

Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
, with about 1250 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world. They are perennial

Perennial plant

A perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants....
bulbous plants that produce chemical compounds (mostly cystein sulfoxide) that give them a characteristic onion or garlic taste and odor, and many are used as food plants. Allium is classified in family Alliaceae

Alliaceae

Alliaceae is a Family of herbaceous perennial plant flowering plants. They are monocots, part of Order Asparagales. The family has been widely but not universally recognised; in the past, the plants involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae, and still are by some botanists....
although some classifications have included it in the lily family (Liliaceae

Liliaceae

The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes....
).

Allium species occur in temperate climates of the northern hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
, except for a few species occurring in Chile (as Allium juncifolium), Brazil (Allium sellovianum) or tropical Africa (Allium spathaceum).

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Encyclopedia

Allium is the onion

Onion

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa....
genus

Genus

Species

Perennial plant

Alliaceae

Liliaceae

Northern Hemisphere

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds....
s form an umbel

Umbel

An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
at the top of a leafless stalk. The bulb

Bulb

A bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaf that are used as food storage organs by a dormancy plant.A bulb's leaf bases generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions....
s vary in size between species, from very small (around 2–3 mm in diameter) to rather big (8–10 cm). Some species (such as Welsh onion, A. fistulosum) develop thickened leaf-bases rather than forming bulbs as such.

Most bulbous alliums increase by forming little bulbs or "offsets" around the old one, as well as by seed

Seed

A seed is a small Plant embryogenesis plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some Food storage. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant....
. Several species can form many bulbils

Bulb

Tree onion

Tree onions are a strong-growing onion with a bunch of bulblets where a normal onion would have flowers.They are members of the "proliferum" cultivar of the onion , and are also commonly called Top Onions, Topset Onions, Walking Onions, or Egyptian onions....
" (A. cepa Proliferum Group) the bulbils are few, but large enough to be used for pickling

Pickling

Pickling, also known as brining or corning, is the process of preserving food by Anaerobic organism fermentation in brine , to produce lactic acid bacteria, or marination and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar ....
.

Members of the genus include many valued vegetable

Vegetable

The term "vegetable" generally means the Eating parts of plants. The definition of the word is traditional rather than scientific, however, and therefore the usage of the word is somewhat arbitrary and subjective, as it is determined by individual cultural customs of food selection and food preparation....
s such as onion

Onion

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa....
s, shallots, leeks and herb

Herb

A herb is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like....
s such as garlic

Garlic

Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive....
and chives

Chives

Chives are the smallest species of the onion family Alliaceae, native to Europe, Asia and North America. They are referred to only in the plural, because they grow in clumps rather than as individual plants....
. A strong "oniony" odor is characteristic of the whole genus, but not all members are equally flavorful.

Some Allium species, including A. cristophii and A. giganteum, are used as border

Herbaceous border

A herbaceous border is a collection of perennial plant herbaceous plants arranged closely together, usually to create a dramatic effect through colour, shape or large scale....
plants for their flowers, and their "architectural" qualities. Several hybrids have been bred, or selected, with rich purple flowers. Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is one of the most popular and has been given an Award of Garden Merit

Award of Garden Merit

The Award of Garden Merit, or AGM, is an award made to garden plants by the United Kingdom Royal Horticultural Society after a period of assessment by the appropriate committees of the Society....
(H4). By contrast, other species (such as the invasive Allium triquetrum) can become troublesome garden weed

WEED

WEED is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel format. Licensed to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA, it serves the area. The station is currently owned by Northstar Broadcasting Corporation....
s.

Various Allium species are used as food plants by the larva

Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
including Cabbage Moth

Cabbage Moth

Note: the Small White species of butterfly is commonly called a "cabbage moth" in North America.The Cabbage Moth is a common European moth of the family Noctuidae....
, Common Swift

Common Swift (moth)

The Common Swift is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus. It is a common, often abundant European species....
moth (recorded on garlic), Garden Dart

Garden Dart

The Garden Dart is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.This is a rather drab species, forewings ranging from pale to dark brown with indistinct markings....
moth, Large Yellow Underwing

Large Yellow Underwing

The Large Yellow Underwing is a moth, the type species for the family Noctuidae. It is an abundant species throughout Europe, one of the most common and most familiar moths of the region....
moth, Nutmeg

Nutmeg (moth)

The Nutmeg , also known as the Clover Cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe although in the north of its range it is a summer Insect migration, not being able to survive the cold winters....
moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character

Setaceous Hebrew Character

The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common species throughout Europe.The forewings of this species are reddish brown with distinctive patterning towards the base: a black mark resembling the Hebrew language letter Nun : ? with a pale cream coloure...
moth, Turnip Moth

Turnip Moth

The Turnip Moth is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common European species.This is a very variable species with the forewings ranging from pale buff through to almost black....
and Schinia rosea
Schinia

Schinia is a large genus of moths belonging to the family Noctuidae. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with the vast majority of species being found in North America, many with a very restricted range....
, a moth which feeds exclusively on Allium sp.

All alliums have an eatable bulb, though some may not be palatable. Taste may be stronger or weaker depending of the species.

Allium

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