Spotted onion

Appearance

It is a bulbous perennial grass plant 30-70 cm in height. Daughter bulbs and substituting bulb capsules are yellow or grey. Leaves are semicylindrical and have a chute on the top side, not narrowed to petioles. A stem thickness is about 7 mm. Flowers are associated in the top umbel floscule (without bulbs) enclosed into cover. Perianth petals are about 2.5-3.0 mm lengthwise, white with violet or brown spot in the middle, have one vein, perianth petals are combined at a base. Stamen threads are longer than perianth petals on a quarter. Interior stamen threads are extended to a top, three-toothed. A middle tooth carrying an anther is shorter than thread-like lateral ones.

Naming

Full Name
Allium guttatum Steven, 1809

Synonyms
Allium margaritaceum subsp. guttatum
Allium margaritaceum var. guttatum
Allium margaritaceum var. typicum

Subspecies
Allium guttatum subsp. dalmaticum
Allium guttatum subsp. guttatum
Allium guttatum subsp. sardoum
Allium guttatum subsp. tenorei

Distribution

Southern Europe.

Habitat

Littoral strip, coastal sands and cockle-shells, steppe hillsides.