Nomenclature

Species name:

Allium nigrum   L.

Author(s):

Carl von Linné
   Sweden, 1707-1778

Common name:

Black Garlic
Black Onion
Broad-Leaved Garlic

Maltese name:

Cuplajs

Plant Family:

Liliaceae   (Lily Family)

Name Derivation:

Allium = Garlic (Latin);

nigrum = Black (Latin).

Synonyms:

Allium bauerianum, A. multibulbosum, A. magicum, A. dumetorum, A. monspessulanum, A. narcissifolium, A. odorum

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Arable land including fallow fields and field tracks. Prefers clay soil

Sources in Malta:

Frequent in certain localities only, absent in several others. A small population was seen in fallow (or abandoned) fields at Wied Qirda.

Plant Height:

50-90cm

Flowering Time:

Apr-May

This species has a large bulb with an ovoid-spherical shape and an entire tunic often found growing in cultivated land or fallow/abandoned fields.

It differs slightly from other Allium species by having relatively broad leaves, probably the broadest amongst the wild Alliums in Malta. The largest leaves can be up to 50cm long and 7-8cm broad. The lamina is strap shaped (lorate), show prominent parallel venation, without a central keel (bulging midrib) and ends with a somehow pointed tip. The margins have minute teeth. The long and flaccid leaves usually arch down to the ground. The plant produce 3 to 6 leaves, found sheathing the base (lower quarter) of the flowering stem.

The thick flowering stem (or scape) is cylindrical, with a rounded cross section and grows between 50-80cm high. The conical or semi-spherical flower head measures about 7-10cm accross and consists of a dense umbel of flowers.

Flowers have a firm, spreading pedicel about 2-3cm long. The corolla is made up of 6 pink to lavender tepals which often have a green midrib at the outer side. In some specimen the colour is nearly white. The tepals are narrow and well spaced from each other - they never overlap. They are fully spread out forming a star-shaped structure. Their shape is lance-shaped with a tapering non-pointed end. The stamens are situated directly over the tepals. They have firm, spreading filaments with their base being pink and the colour gradually intensifies to a purple one towards the uppermost part. The anthers are cream-coloured, sometimes lilac. The female reproductive part is a bright green, superior ovary having a spherical shape and a central inconspicuous white style.

The fruit is an ovoid dehiscent capsule about 7-9mm long. When ripe, it opens into 3 equal compartments so as to expose the small, black seeds which falls off to the ground with the swinging of the long scape by wind.

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