Spermatophyta: Monocotyledonae: Asparagales

Alliaceae - Onion family

Chase, M.W., Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.J. (2009) A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 132-136

Kativu, S. (2002) Alliaceae of the Flora Zambesiaca area Kirkia 18(1) 72-76

Kativu, S. (2008) Alliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1)

Description of the family

Rootstock a bulb or rhizome. Plants sometimes smelling strongly of onion. Flowers in umbels, subtended by a spathe. Perianth segments fused into a tube below, 6-lobed and sometimes with a corona at the mouth of the tube (Tulbaghia). Stamens 6. Ovary superior, 3-locular. Fruit a capsule. Seeds flattened, black, shiny.

Comment: Now included as subfamily Allioideae in family Amaryllidaceae.

Worldwide: 30 genera and 850 species, cosmopolitan, excluding Australia.

Zimbabwe: 0 genera and 0 taxa.

Other sources of information about Alliaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Alliaceae
Flora of Malawi: Alliaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Alliaceae
Flora of Zambia: Alliaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Alliaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Alliaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Alliaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Alliaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Alliaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Alliaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Alliaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Alliaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Alliaceae
Wikipedia: Alliaceae
Plants of the World Online: Alliaceae
Tropicos: Alliaceae