Bulbous herbs, odorous (alliaceous); bulbs solitary, or clustered on short rootstocks. Leaves narrowly linear, rarely lanceolate or oblong, sheathing, basal, or sometimes also on the stem. Stem (usually a scape) simple, erect. Flowers white, purple, pink or green, in a terminal simple umbel, subtended by 2 or 3 membranous separate or united bracts. Pedicels slender, not jointed. Perianth persistent; segments 6, separate, or united by their bases. Stamens on the bases of the perianth-segments; filaments sometimes toothed; anther-sacs introrsely dehiscent. Ovary nearly sessile, 3-celled; style filiform, jointed, deciduous; stigmas small; ovules 1-6 in each cavity. Capsule loculicidal. [Latin for garlic]

About 300 species of wide distribution. Besides the following, some -so -others occur in the western United States. Type species: Allium sativum L.

Leaves oblong-lanceolate, absent at flowering time. [Validallium Small.]

1.

A. tricoccum.

Leaves linear, present at flowering time.

Bulb-coats membranous, not fibrous-reticulated.

Umbel capitate; pedicels shorter than the flowers.

2.

A. sibiricum.

Umbel looser pedicels much longer than the flowers.

Flowering umbel nodding.

Perianth campanulate, white or pink, its outer segments acute.

3.

A. cernuum.

Perianth urn-shaped, purple, outer segments obtuse or notched.

4.

A. alleghaniense.

Flowering umbel erect.

Leaves flat or channeled, all nearly basal.

5.

A. stellatum.

Leaves terete, hollow, some on stem; flowers often replaced by bulblets.

Filaments with a tooth on each side.

6.

A. carinatum.

Filaments simple, not toothed.

7.

A, vineale.

Bulb-coats fibrous-reticulated.

Capsule not crested.

Flowers mostly replaced by bulblets; scape 8'-2° tall.

8.

A. canadense.

Flowers rarely replaced by bulblets.

Scape 1°-2° tall; pedicels 8"-12" long; perianth-segments thin.

9.

A. mutabile.

Scape 4'-8' tall; pedicels 4"-6" long; perianth-segments rigid in fruit

10.

A. Nutialiii.

Capsule-valves with 2 short crests.

11.

A. reticulatum.