Significations et usages de Allium

Allium
Allium flavum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
clade:	Angiosperms
clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Allioideae
Genus:	Allium L.
Type species
Allium sativum L.
Species
See text

Allium is a monocot genus of flowering plants, informally referred to as the onion genus. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic.^[1]

The genus contains hundreds of distinct species; many have been harvested through human history, but only about a dozen are still economically important today as crops or garden vegetables. Many others are cultivated as ornamental plants.

Allium is taxonomically difficult and species boundaries are unclear. Most authorities accept about 750 species.^[2] Estimates of the number of species have been as low as 260,^[3] and as high as 860.^[4] The type species for the genus is Allium sativum.^[5]

Allium species occur in temperate climates of the northern hemisphere, except for a few species occurring in Chile (such as A. juncifolium), Brazil (A. sellovianum) or tropical Africa (A. spathaceum). They can vary in height between 5 cm and 150 cm. The flowers form an umbel at the top of a leafless stalk. The bulbs vary in size between species, from very small (around 2–3 mm in diameter) to rather large (8–10 cm). Some species (such as Welsh onion, A. fistulosum) develop thickened leaf-bases rather than forming bulbs as such. Allium is a genus of perennial bulbous plants that produce chemical compounds (mostly cysteine sulfoxide) that give them a characteristic onion or garlic taste and odor. Many are used as food plants, though not all members of the genus are equally flavorful. In most cases, both bulb and leaves are edible. Their taste may be strong or weaker, depending on the species.

In the APG III classification system, Allium is placed in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Allioideae (formerly the family Alliaceae).^[6] In some of the older classification systems, Allium was placed in Liliaceae.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that this circumscription of Liliaceae is not monophyletic.

Allium is one of about 57 genera of flowering plants that have more than 500 species.^[12] It is by far the largest genus in the Amaryllidaceae, and also in the Alliaceae in classification systems in which that family is recognized as separate.^[3]

  Description

Allium species are herbaceous perennials with flowers produced on scapes. They grow from solitary or clustered tunicate bulbs and many have an onion odor and taste. Plants are perennialized by bulbs that reform annually from the base of the old bulb, or are produced on the ends of rhizomes or, in a few species, at the ends of stolons. A small number of species have tuberous roots. The bulbs have outer coats that are commonly brown or grey, with a smooth texture, and are fibrous, or with cellular reticulation. The inner coats of the bulbs are membranous.

Many alliums have basal leaves that commonly wither away from the tips downward before or while the plant flower, but some species have persistent foliage. Plants produce from one to twelve leaves, most species having linear, channeled or flat leaf blades. The leaf blades are straight or variously coiled, but some species have broad leaves, including A. victorialis and A. tricoccum. The leaves are sessile, and very rarely narrowed into a petiole.

The terete or flattened flowering scapes are normally persistent. The inflorescences are umbels, in which the outside flowers bloom first and flowering progresses to the inside. Some species produce bulbils within the umbels, and in some species the bulbils replace some or all the flowers. The umbels are subtended by noticeable spathe bracts, which are commonly fused and normally have around 3 veins.

The flowers are erect or in some species pendent, having six petal-like tepals produced in two whorls. The flowers have one style and six epipetalous stamens; the anthers and pollen can vary in color depending on the species. The ovaries are superior, and three-lobed with three locules.

The fruits are capsules that open longitudinally along the capsule wall between the partitions of the locule.^[13][14] The seeds are black, and have a rounded shape.

Some bulbous alliums increase by forming little bulbs or "offsets" around the old one, as well as by seed. Several species can form many bulbils in the flowerhead; in the so-called "tree onion" or Egyptian onion (A. × proliferum) the bulbils are few, but large enough to be pickled.

  Taxonomy

The taxonomy of Allium is poorly understood, with incorrect descriptions being widespread. Allium spicatum has been treated by many authors as Milula spicata, the only species in the monospecific genus Milula. In 2000, it was shown to be embedded in Allium.^[15]

In 2006, a phylogeny of Allium was published based on the nuclear ribosomal gene ITS. The authors of this study divided Allium into 15 subgenera and 72 sections.^[16] They defined the subgenus Rhizirideum in a much narrower sense than in previous classifications.

Subsequent molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the 2006 classification is a considerable improvement over previous classifications, but some of its subgenera and sections are probably not monophyletic. One of these studies focused on the subgenus Amerallium which is strongly supported as monophyletic.^[17] Another study focused on Allium ampeloprasum and its relatives within the section Allium of subgenus Allium.^[2] Sampling in this study was not sufficient to test the monophyly of section Allium.

  Habitat

The majority of Allium species are native to the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in Asia. A few species are native to Africa and Central and South America.^[13] Species grow in various conditions from dry, well-drained mineral-based soils to moist, organic soils; most grow in sunny locations but a number also grow in forests, or even in swamps / water.

  Cultivation

Many Allium species have been harvested through human history, but only about a dozen are still economically important today as crops or garden vegetables.^[18] These include onions (A. cepa), French shallots (A. oschaninii), leeks (A. ampeloprasum), scallions (various Allium species), and herbs such as garlic (A. sativum) and chives (A. schoenoprasum). Others are cultivated as ornamentals.^[19]

  Ornamental

  Selection of cultivated Alliums displayed at the BBC Gardeners' World show in June 2011.

Some Allium species, including A. cristophii and A. giganteum, are used as border plants for their ornamental flowers, and their "architectural" qualities.^[20] Several hybrids have been bred, or selected, with rich purple flowers. A. hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is one of the most popular and has been given an Award of Garden Merit (H4).^[21] These ornamental onions come in a wide variety of sizes and colours, ranging from white (Allium 'Mont Blanc'), blue (A. caeruleum), to yellow (A. flavum) and purple (A. giganteum). By contrast, other species (such as invasive A. triquetrum and A. ursinum) can become troublesome garden weeds.^[20][22]

  Ecology

Various Allium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera including Cabbage Moth, common swift moth (recorded on garlic), Garden Dart moth, Large Yellow Underwing moth, Nutmeg moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character moth, Turnip Moth and Schinia rosea, a moth that feeds exclusively on Allium species.

Dogs and cats are very susceptible to poisoning after the consumption of certain^{[clarification needed]} species.^[23]

  Species

See List of Allium species for a full list. Some important species include:

• Allium acuminatum — tapertip onion, Hooker's onion
• Allium allegheniense — Appalachian onion
• Allium ampeloprasum — (Broadleaf) wild leek
  • A. ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum — elephant garlic
  • A. ampeloprasum var. kurrat — kurrat
  • A. ampeloprasum var. porrum — leek
• Allium anceps — twinleaf onion
• Allium angulosum — mouse garlic
• Allium aflatunense — flowering onion
• Allium atrorubens — dark red onion
• Allium caeruleum — blue globe onion
• Allium campanulatum — dusky onion
• Allium canadense — Canadian garlic
• Allium cepa — onion, garden onion, bulb onion, common onion
• Allium cernuum — nodding onion
• Allium chinense — Chinese onion, Chinese scallion, Japanese scallion, Oriental onion
• Allium fistulosum — Welsh onion
• Allium giganteum — giant onion
• Allium hollandicum — flowering onion
• Allium neapolitanum — white garlic
• Allium nevii — Nevius' garlic
• Allium nigrum — black garlic
• Allium oleraceum — field garlic
• Allium oschaninii — shallot
• Allium paradoxum — few-flowered garlic
• Allium ramosum — fragrant garlic
• Allium sativum — garlic
• Allium schoenoprasum — chives
• Allium scorodoprasum — sand leek
• Allium siculum — Mediterranean bells, Sicilian honey garlic
• Allium sieberianum — Schult.f.
• Allium stipitatum — Persian shallot
• Allium textile — prairie onion
• Allium tricoccum — wild leek, ramp
• Allium triquetrum — three-cornered leek, triquetous garlic
• Allium tuncelianum — Tunceli garlic, Ovacik garlic
• Allium tuberosum — Chinese chives
• Allium ursinum — buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear's garlic
• Allium vineale — crow garlic, wild onion

  Notes

  References

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2012)

• Pacific Bulb Society: Rhizomatous Alliums
• J. G. Dubouzet, K. Shinoda and N. Murata. Phylogeny of Allium L. subgenus Rhizirideum (G. Don ex Koch) Wendelbo according to dot blot hybridization with randomly amplified DNA probes TAG Theoretical and Applied 'Genetics. Volume 95, Number 8, December, 1997
• Haim D. Rabinowitch, Lesley Currah. Allium crop science: recent advances. CABI Publishing Series, 2002. ISBN 978-0-85199-510-6
• N. Friesen, R. Fritsch and K. Bachmann. Hybrid origin of some ornamentals of Allium subgenus Melanocrommyum verified with GISH and RAPD. TAG Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Volume 95, Number 8, December, 1997
• A. Samoylov, N. Friesen, S. Pollner, P. Hanelt. Use of chloroplast DNA polymorphisms for the phylogenetic study of Allium subgenus Amerallium and subgenus Bromatorrhiza (Alliaceae) II. Feddes Repertorium Volume 110 Issue 1–2, Pages 103–109, 1999
• Block, E. (2010). Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN 978-0-85404-190-9. 
• Brewster, J. L. (2008). Onions and Other Alliums. CABI Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84593-399-9. 
• Davies, D. (1992). Alliums: The Ornamental Onions. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-241-2. 
• Rabinowitch, H. D., Currah, L. (2002). Allium Crop Sciences: Recent Advances. CABI Publishing. ISBN 0-85199-510-1. 
• Woodward, P. (1996). Garlic and Friends: The History, Growth and Use of Edible Alliums. Hyland House. ISBN 1-86447-009-7. 

  External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Allium

• "WCSP". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do.  (enter "Allium" in search box).
• Allium At:Index Nominum Genericorum At:References At:NMNH Department of Botany
• Bloomsta.com Florist Community
• Pacific Bulb Society

Allium Onion Garlic Onion cultivars Calçot Cocktail onion Pearl onion Potato onion Red onion Scallion Shallot Sweet onion Tree onion Twinleaf onion Vidalia onion Welsh onion White onion Yellow onion Onion species Allium abramsii Allium acuminatum Allium aflatunense Allium amplectens Allium atrorubens Allium bisceptrum Allium bolanderi Allium burlewii Allium caeruleum Allium campanulatum Allium cernuum Allium chinense Allium cratericola Allium crispum Allium cristophii Allium monanthum Allium platycaule Allium praecox Allium punctum Allium sanbornii Allium shevockii Allium siskiyouense Allium sphaerocephalon Allium stipitatum Allium textile Allium tribracteatum Allium tricoccum Allium triquetrum Allium tuolumnense Allium unifolium Allium validum Allium victorialis Allium yosemitense Allium stellatum Onion food Blooming onion Fried onion Onion ring Pickled onion Sogan-dolma Garlic cultivars Elephant garlic Field garlic Garlic chives Ramsons Snow Mountain Garlic Solo garlic Garlic species Allium canadense Allium drummondii Allium moly Allium neapolitanum Allium nigrum Allium roseum Allium sphaerocephalon Allium triquetrum Allium vineale Garlic food Black garlic Persillade Pistou Garlic press Garlic bread Garlic chutney Beurre à la bourguignonne Garlic/onion constituents Allicin Allistatin Diallyl disulfide Category:Allium