MALTESE LEEK

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Nomenclature
Species name:	*Allium melitense* (Sommier & Caruana Gatto) Ciferri & Giacom.
Author(s):	Carlo Pietro Stefano Sommier Italy, 1848-1922 Alfredo Caruana Gatto Italy, Malta, 1868-1926 Raffaele Ciferri Italy, 1897-1964 Valerio Giacomini Italy, 1914-1981
Common name:	Maltese Garlic Maltese Leek
Maltese name:	Kurrat ta' Malta
Plant Family:	Alliaceae (Onion Family)
Name Derivation:	Allium = Garlic (Latin); melitense = Of or from the islands of Malta (Latin).
Synonyms:	Allium ampeloprasum var. melitense, Allium commutatum var. melitense,
Remarks:	This species is an endemic plant, but some argue that this is just a small variant (=dwarf) of the variable and closely related species - Allium commutatum.

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Rocky steppes and valley sides especially near arable land. Prefers coastal areas.

Sources in Malta:

Frequent. Mistra, Selmun, Wied Babu, Ramla l-Hamra (gozo).

Plant Height:

20-30cm

Flowering Time:

May-Jun

This plant is very similar to the species Allium commutatum of which description can be read by [clicking here] However there are few morphological differences which are enough to make it have its own taxon, though some argue that instead it should be placed as a variant of A. commutatum.

The following is a table that highlights the most important differences between A. commutatum and A. melitense:

Feature Allium commutatum Allium melitense

Plant height Approximately 80-100cm, can be higher Rarely exceeds 30cm in length

Plant general structure Robust, thick flowering stem Delicate, thin flowering stem

Breadth of leaf 10-32mm 6-10mm

Size of flower head Circa 8cm, but can be up to 10cm Do not exceed 4cm (usually around 3cm)

Shape of umbel Spherical, hundreds of flowers Semispherical, around or less than 100 flowers

Filaments of inner Stamens Base not narrower than the upper part Narrower at the base

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Species name:

Allium melitense (Sommier & Caruana Gatto) Ciferri & Giacom.

Author(s):

Carlo Pietro Stefano Sommier
   Italy, 1848-1922

Alfredo Caruana Gatto
   Italy, Malta, 1868-1926

Raffaele Ciferri
   Italy, 1897-1964

Valerio Giacomini
   Italy, 1914-1981

Common name:

Maltese Garlic
Maltese Leek

Maltese name:

Kurrat ta' Malta

Plant Family:

Alliaceae (Onion Family)

Name Derivation:

Allium = Garlic (Latin);

melitense = Of or from the islands of Malta (Latin).

Synonyms:

Allium ampeloprasum var. melitense, Allium commutatum var. melitense,

Remarks:

This species is an endemic plant, but some argue that this is just a small variant (=dwarf) of the variable and closely related species - Allium commutatum.

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Rocky steppes and valley sides especially near arable land. Prefers coastal areas.

Sources in Malta:

Frequent. Mistra, Selmun, Wied Babu, Ramla l-Hamra (gozo).

Plant Height:

20-30cm

Flowering Time:

May-Jun

Species name:

Allium melitense (Sommier & Caruana Gatto) Ciferri & Giacom.

Author(s):

Carlo Pietro Stefano Sommier Italy, 1848-1922 Alfredo Caruana Gatto Italy, Malta, 1868-1926 Raffaele Ciferri Italy, 1897-1964 Valerio Giacomini Italy, 1914-1981

Common name:

Maltese Garlic Maltese Leek

Maltese name:

Kurrat ta' Malta

Plant Family:

Alliaceae (Onion Family)

Name Derivation:

Allium = Garlic (Latin); melitense = Of or from the islands of Malta (Latin).

Synonyms:

Allium ampeloprasum var. melitense, Allium commutatum var. melitense,

Remarks:

This species is an endemic plant, but some argue that this is just a small variant (=dwarf) of the variable and closely related species - Allium commutatum.

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Rocky steppes and valley sides especially near arable land. Prefers coastal areas.

Sources in Malta:

Frequent. Mistra, Selmun, Wied Babu, Ramla l-Hamra (gozo).

Plant Height:

20-30cm

Flowering Time:

May-Jun

Carlo Pietro Stefano Sommier
Italy, 1848-1922

Alfredo Caruana Gatto
Italy, Malta, 1868-1926

Raffaele Ciferri
Italy, 1897-1964

Valerio Giacomini
Italy, 1914-1981

Maltese Garlic
Maltese Leek

Allium = Garlic (Latin);

melitense = Of or from the islands of Malta (Latin).