Nomenclature

Species name:

Allium amethystinum   Tausch.

Author(s):

Ignaz Friedrich Tausch
   Austria, 1793-1848

Common name:

Round-Headed Leek
Ball-Head Onion

Maltese name:

Tewm Kahlani

Plant Family:

Alliaceae   (Onion Family)

Name Derivation:

Allium = Garlic (Latin);

amethystinum = having the color of amethyst (refering to the inflorescence) (Latin).

Synonyms:

Allium segetum, Allium stojanovii, Allium descendens

Remarks:

Previously mistaken as Allium sphaerocephalon L., which have the inflorescence with a more spherical shape from the conical form of A. amethystinum Tausch..

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Arid rocky places and garigue.

Sources in Malta:

Rare, found at Dingli Cliffs

Plant Height:

30-70cm

Flowering Time:

May-Jul

A species of Allium that originates from Britain and is rare in Malta. Its bulb has an entire external tunic and no bulbils are formed.

In November, the leaves emerge from the underground bulbs and keeps growing till April. They have a hollow, cylindrical structure (1-2mm diameter) but grooved at the underside. About 4-5 leaves are produced which initially, they seem to emerge consecutively from each other. They can reach 25cm in length and being flaccid, they often arch down to the ground.

The hieght of the scape varies from 30 to 70cm and even more (reported up to 150 cm) depending plant maturity, soil nutrients and climatic conditions. The leaves reach half way the scape length. The spathe is oval with a short pointed tip and its colour is dark-green turning to maroon. The spathe is well defined during April-May. At this stage the leaves stop growing and slowly the entire aerial part of the plant starts drying off, except the scape, which keeps on developing and turns maroon. In June, when the plant seems dried to death, the spathe opens into a ball of deep-puple flowers forming a rather dense umbel.

All flowers have an erect pedicel of about 8-12mm in length. The corolla is deep purple with longitudinal stripes of darker colour. The lower flowers are not fertile and might be discoloured. Flowers have a bell-shaped structure (about 6mm long) with a 3-angular cross section. The reproductive organs consists of superior ovary that is totally hidden inside the corolla and a set of 6 stamens. Some of or all the stamens are found protruding out from the narrow orrifice at the top of the corolla and so they are seen hanging out at its rim . The anthers are lilac-grey in colour. The spherical, green ovary have a long, brown style that extends out from the corolla by 2mm, and hence surpassing the anthers.

The flowers remain in colour for about 2 weeks, then they become paler and dry off while the ovary develops into a small (4mm long) dehiscent fruit capsule. This opens longitudinally in 3 parts and expels the small stored seeds.

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