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Allium (leek, onion, shallot, garlic genus)
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants)
> Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Alliaceae
There are about 550 species worldwide, most of them
occurring in the northern hemisphere. Allium dregeanum is the only
species thought to be native to southern Africa although there is some doubt
that it originates here. An additional 13 species are cultivated in the region,
including leek,
onion, shallot,
chives
and garlic.
Species indigenous in southern Africa
Allium dregeanum
Wildeui [Afrikaans] Featured in Manning and Goldblatt (1997). |
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Other species, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002).
Allium cepa (Onion,
Spring Onion, Shallot) Domesticated as a vegetable that is eaten raw or
cooked. Exact origins uncertain but thought to have been domesticated from
one or more species in Central Asia. |
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Allium cernuum (Lady's leek)
Indigenous from Canada through to Mexico. |
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Allium chinense (Chiao t'ou, Rakkyo)
Indigenous to China.
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Allium fistulosum (Welsh onion)
Cultivar species.
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Allium moly (Moly)
Indigenous to Spain and France.
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Allium neapolitanum
Indigenous to the Mediterranean.
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Allium porrum
(Leek)
The swollen, overlapping leaf bases of the Leak are eaten
cooked as a vegetable. The Leek originates from the wild species Allium
ampeloprasum which occurs from Portugal and North Africa eastwards to
Turkey, Iran and about Tajikistan.
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Allium sativum
(Garlic)
Garlic is grown as a vegetable and is also used for
medicinal purposes because of its natural antibacterial and antifungal
properties. Allium sativum is a domesticated species, thought
to have originated from Allium longicuspis which is native to
Central Asia. Evidence from Egyption tombs shows that domestication of
garlic goes back to at least 3200 BC. |
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Allium schoenoprasum
(Chives)
Indigenous to Europe and Asia and believed to have been
domesticated within the Mediterranean region. The earliest records of
cultivated chives go back to only the 16th century. The leaves of chives are
have a mild flavour and are cut up and added to salads, egg dishes, meat
dishes, sauces and cottage cheese. |
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Allium subhirsutum
Indigenous to the Mediterranean.
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Allium subvillosum
Indigenous to the Canary Islands through to the western
Mediterranean. |
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Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered leek)
Indigenous to the western Mediterranean.
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Allium tuberosum (Chinese chives)
Indigenous to SE Asia.
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Publications
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De Wilde-Duyfjes, B.E.E. 1976. A revision of
the genus Allium L. (Liliaceae) in Africa. Belmontia 7: 75-78.
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of
Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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Manning,
J. & Goldblatt, P. 1997. Nieuwoudtville - Bokkeveld Plateau &
Hantam. South African Wild Flower Guide 9. A Guide to the Wild Flowers of
Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia, Botterkloof . Botanical Society of Southern
Africa, Kirstenbosch.
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