Allium victorialis

Alpine leek
victory onion
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species: A. victorialis
Binomial name
Allium victorialis
L. Sp. Pl. 1: 295. 1753[1][2]
Synonyms[3]

Allium victorialis, commonly known as victory onion, Alpine leek, is a broad-leaved Eurasian species of wild onion. It is a perennial of the Amaryllis family that occurs widely in mountainous regions of Europe and parts of Asia (Caucasus and Himalayas).[3][4]

Some authors consider certain East Asian and Alaskan populations as constituting subspecies platyphyllum within the species Allium victorialis.[5][6] Recent sources recognize this group as a distinct species, called Allium ochotense.[7][8][9][10][11]

General description

Allium victorialis attains a height of 30–45 cm (11.8–17.7 in) and forms a sheathed bulb ("root-stalk") about the thickness of a finger and 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) long.[12] Leaves are broad elliptical or lanceolate. Flowers (perianths) are whitish green.[12]

Distribution

Allium victorialis is found widely across across mountain ranges Europe, as well as the Caucasus and and the Himalayas.[3]

Nomenclature

The specific epithet victorialis comes from the German Siegwurz (Root of Victory),[13] and it earned this name having been "worn as an amulet, to be as safeguard against the attacks of certain impure spirits," by Bohemian miners among others.[13]

Uses

The plant, in past centuries in certain mountainous regions of Europe, "was cultivated as a medicinal and fetish plant".[14]


See also

References

  1. ↑ Flora of North America — map
  2. ↑ GRIN (May 12, 2011). "Allium victorialis L. information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium victorialis
  4. ↑ Altervista Flora Italiana, Aglio serpentino, victory onion, alpine leek, Allium victorialis L. includes photos and European distribution map
  5. ↑ Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 234 Allium victorialis Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 295. 1753.
  6. ↑ Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 172 茖葱 ge cong Allium victorialis Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 295. 1753.
  7. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium ochotense Prokh.
  8. ↑ The Plant List, Allium ochotense Prokh.
  9. ↑ Kharkevich, S.S. (ed.) (1987). Plantae Vasculares Orientalis Extremi Sovietici 2: 1-448. Nauka, Leningrad.
  10. ↑ Denisov, N. (2008). Addition to Vascular flora of the Kozlov island (Peter the Great Gulf, Japanese sea). Turczaninowia 11(4): 29-42.
  11. ↑ Choi, H.J. & Oh, B.U. (2011). A partial revision of Allium (Amaryllidaceae) in Korea and north-eastern China. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 167: 153-211.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Thompson, Harold Stuart (1912). Sub-alpine Plants: Or, Flowers of the Swiss Woods and Meadows (PREVIEW). G. Routledge & Sons. p. 280.. 1–1.5 ft (0.30–0.46 m) height; and rootstalk 5.1–7.6 cm (2–3 in).
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Allium victorialis. Long-rooted garlic". Curtis's botanical magazine 30: 1222–. 1809.
  14. ↑ Rabinowitch, Haim D.; Currah, Lesley (2002). Allium Crop Science: Recent Advances (PREVIEW). CABI. p. 26. ISBN 978-0851-99510-6.

External links

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