Allium victorialis
TaxonAllium victorialis
ParentAllium subg. Anguinum
StatusLC
Status systemIUCN3.1
AuthorityL. Sp. Pl. 1: 295. 1753[1][2]

Allium victorialis, commonly known as victory onion, Alpine leek, and Alpine broad-leaf allium[3] is a broad-leaved Eurasian species of wild onion. It is a perennial of the Amaryllis family that occurs widely in mountainous regions of Europe (including Caucasus) and parts of Asia (Himalayas).[4][5]

Some authors consider certain East Asian and Alaskan populations as constituting subspecies platyphyllum within the species Allium victorialis.[1][6] Recent sources recognize this group as a distinct species, called Allium ochotense.[7][8][9][10][11]

General description

Allium victorialis attains a height of 30–45 cm (11.8–17.7 in) and forms a sheathed bulb ("root-stalk") about the thickness of a finger and 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) long.[12] Leaves are broad, elliptical or lanceolate. Flowers (perianths) are whitish green.[12]

Distribution

Allium victorialis is found widely across mountain ranges Europe, as well as the Caucasus and the Himalayas.[4]

Nomenclature

The specific epithet victorialis comes from the German Siegwurz (Root of Victory),[13] and it earned this name having been "worn as an amulet, to be as safeguard against the attacks of certain impure spirits," by Bohemian miners among others.[13]

Uses

The plant, in past centuries in certain mountainous regions of Europe, "was cultivated as a medicinal and fetish plant".[14] The plant known as pukusa to the Ainu people in northern Japan, an important food source, had been classed as A .victorialis subsp. platyphyllum,[15] but recent genetics classify it under its own species, Allium ochotense.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ GRIN (May 12, 2011). "Allium victorialis L. information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  3. ^ Korea National Arboretum (2015). English Names for Korean Native Plants. Pocheon: National Arboretum. p. 348. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2016. – via Korea Forest Service.
  4. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium victorialis
  5. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Aglio serpentino, victory onion, alpine leek, Allium victorialis L. includes photos and European distribution map
  6. ^
  7. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium ochotense Prokh.
  8. ^ The Plant List, Allium ochotense Prokh.
  9. ^ Kharkevich, S.S. (ed.) (1987). Plantae Vasculares Orientalis Extremi Sovietici 2: 1-448. Nauka, Leningrad.
  10. ^ Denisov, N. (2008). Addition to Vascular flora of the Kozlov island (Peter the Great Gulf, Japanese sea). Turczaninowia 11(4): 29-42.
  11. ^ Choi & Oh 2011.
  12. ^ Thompson, Harold Stuart (1912). Sub-alpine Plants: Or, Flowers of the Swiss Woods and Meadows (preview). G. Routledge & Sons. p. 280.. 1–1.5 ft (0.30–0.46 m) height; and rootstalk 5.1–7.6 cm (2–3 in).
  13. ^ Sims, John (1809). "Allium victorialis. Long-rooted garlic". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 30: 1222–.
  14. ^ Rabinowitch, Haim D. & Currah, Lesley (2002). Allium Crop Science: Recent Advances (preview). CABI. p. 26. ISBN 978-0851-99510-6.
  15. ^ Bachelor, John (1893). "Ainu Economic Plants". Tota. Archived 2021-06-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ Quattrocchi, Umberto (ed.) (2012). "Allium ochotense". CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants. CRC Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-4822-5064-0.

Bibliography