Three-cornered leek

Allium triquetrum

"Allium triquetrum" is a bulbous flowering plant in the genus "Allium" native to the Mediterranean basin. It is known in English as three-cornered leek, and in Australia and New Zealand as onion weed.
Three-cornered leek There is a profusion of this plant outside my garden gate. Although described as a leek and tasting of chives, it has an overwhelming aroma of garlic. 
All of the plant is edible. The young plants can be uprooted when found in profusion and treated as baby leeks or spring onion, the leaves and flowers can be used in salads or the leaves in soups or stews, the more mature onion like roots can be used as onion or garlic. Allium triquetrum,Geotagged,Isle of Wight,Three-cornered leek,United Kingdom,bulbs,plants

Appearance

"Allium triquetrum" produces stems 17–59 cm tall, which are concavely triangular in cross-section. Each stem produces an umbel inflorescence of 4–19 flowers in January–May in the species' native environment. The tepals are 10–18 mm long and white, but with a "strong green line". Each plant has 2–3 narrow, linear leaves, each up to 15 cm long. The leaves have a distinct onion smell when crushed.
Three-cornered leek Close up of the flower Allium triquetrum,Geotagged,Three-cornered leek,United Kingdom,bulbs,isle of wight,plants

Naming

Both the English name and the specific epithet "triquetrum" refer to the three-cornered shape of the flower stalks.
Allium triquetrum many years ago I read the beautiful book "The Story of San Michele" by the Swedish author Axel Munthe, and I couldn't pass the chance to visit his beautiful villa at the village Anacapri, on the island of Capri. apart from the excitement of walking and seeing his loved home, his beautiful garden, all the ancient roman art that he dug there - I enjoyed seeing wildflowers in an ancient flower pot :-)  Allium triquetrum,Geotagged,Italy,Spring,Three-cornered leek

Distribution

"Allium triquetrum" is native to south-western Europe, north-western Africa, Madeira and the Canary Islands, where it grows in meadows, woodland clearings, on river banks and roadside verges from sea level to an elevation of 850 metres. It has also been introduced to the British Isles, New Zealand, Turkey, Australia, California, Oregon, and South America.
three-cornered leek  Allium triquetrum,Geotagged,Spring,Three-cornered leek,United States

Uses

All parts of the plant, from the bulb to the flowers, are edible fresh or cooked, with "a subtle flavour like leek or spring onion".

References:

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Status: Least concern
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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassMonocots
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAmaryllidaceae
GenusAllium
SpeciesA. triquetrum