| Ethiopian onion | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Genus: | Allium |
| Species: | A. spathaceum |
| Binomial name | |
| Allium spathaceum Steud. ex A.Rich | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Allium spathaceum, the Ethiopian onion, is a plant species native to Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan. Of the 900 known species of onion in the world, this is one of only a few that are endemic to the area.
Allium spathaceum is a bulb-forming perennial up to 40 cm tall, with a scent similar to that of onion or leeks. It has very narrow, linear leaves with hairs along the edges. The umbel contains only a few flowers, with long pedicels. Tepals are white with reddish midveins.
References
- The Plant List
- Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- Richard, Achille. 1850. Tentamen Florae Abyssinicae seu Enumeratio Plantarum hucusque in plerisque Abyssiniae 2: 330.
- Duyfjes, Brigitta Emma Elisabeth. 1972. Rev. Gen. Allium in Africa 142; Meded. Landbouwhoogeschool Wageningen, 76(11).
- JSTOR Global Plants compilation page, Allium spathaceum
- Czech Botany, Allium spathaceum
External links
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Allium spathaceum | |