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Allium (Supplement)

This genus embraces about 250 species, mostly inhabiting Europe, North Africa, Abyssinia, and extra-tropical Asia, but many are found in North America and Mexico. To those described on pp. 48-9, Vol. I., the following should now be added:

A. amblyophyllum (obtuse-leaved). fl. lilac; perianth segments lanceolate, acute; umbel about 1 1/2in. in diameter, globose. Summer. l. five or six, broad, linear, obtuse, flat, spaced along the stem. Bulb small. Turkestan, 1885. A rather distinct species, of dwarf habit. (R. G. 1190.)

A. Backhousianum (Backhouse's). fl. white, in a dense, globose head; perianth segments narrow-linear and totally reflexed; stamens united into a cup at the base. l. radical, bluish-white. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Himalayas, 1885. A tall species, resembling A. giganteum. (R. G. 1885, 215.)

A. elatum (tall). fl. purple, numerous, disposed in a large, globose head; perianth segments spreading, oblong, obtuse; scape stout, 3ft. or more high. l. oblong, obtuse, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad. Central Asia, 1887. (R. G. 1251.)

A. giganteum (gigantic). fl. numerous, forming a dense, globose umbel 4in. in diameter; perianth bright lilac, 1/5in. long, the segments widely spreading; peduncle erect, 3ft. to 4ft. long. June. l. six to nine, springing from the base of the peduncle, lorate, flaccid, glaucescent, 1 1/2ft. long, 2in. broad in the middle. Bulb globose, 2in. to 3in. in diameter. Merv, 1883. (B. M. 6828; R. G. 1113.)

A. Holtzeri (Holtzer's). fl. many, in a capitate, hemispherical umbel 1 1/4in. in diameter; perianth white, the segments elliptic-oblong, acute, with a green middle nerve; anthers red; ovary green, prominent; scape flexuous, 5in. to 7in. long. l. filiform, more or less terete, equalling or exceeding the scape, glabrous. Bulb fascicled-tufted, oblong-cylindrical. Turkestan, 1884. (R. G. 1169, a-c.) A. Macleanii (Maclean's). fl. in a dense, globose umbel 3in. to 4in. in diameter; perianth mauve-purple, 1/4in. long, the segments oblong-lanceolate, acute; spathe valves two, membranous; peduncle flexuous, 2ft. to 3ft. long. Summer. l. four or five, evanescent, lanceolate, about 1ft. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad, glabrous. Cabul, 1882. (B. M. 6707.)

A. macranthum (large-flowered). fl. fifty or more in a loose, globose umbel 3in. to 4in. in diameter; perianth bright mauve-purple, nearly 1/2in. long, permanently campanulate; pedicels 1 1/2in. to 2in. long; scapes several in a tuft, 2ft. to 3ft. long. July. l. numerous, linear, thin, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, tapering gradually to a long point. Rootstock indistinctly bulbous, with a dense tuft of fleshy root-fibres. Eastern Himalayas, 1883. (B. M. 6789.)

A. Ostrowskianum (Ostrowsky's). fl. rose-coloured, disposed in a many-flowered umbel; scape 8in. to 12in. high. l. two or three, linear, flat, flaccid, acute, glaucous. Turkestan, 1883. (R. G. 1089.)

A. oviflorum (ovate-flowered). fl. deep violet-purple, ovate-conical, nodding; sepals connivent; umbel lax, roundish; scape acutely four to six-angled. l. produced at the apex of the short, ebulbous stems, sub-biseriate, lax, keeled, glabrous. Chumbi Valley, India, 1883. A pretty and interesting plant. (R. G. 1134.)

A. Semenovi (Semenow's). fl. yellow, on very short pedicels; outer perianth segments longer than the inner ones; stamens very short, united in a tube round the ovary; umbel small, dense; scape usually shorter than the leaves. l. glaucous, fistular, flat on the face, rounded at back. Alatau Mountains, 1884. (R. G. 1156.)

A. Suworowi (Suworow's). fl., perianth dark mauve-purple, 1/4in. long, the segments keeled with green; umbel very dense, globose, 2in. to 3in. in diameter; scape stout, erect, 2ft. long. May and summer. l. six or seven in a basal rosette, ensiform, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 1in. broad, glaucous-green, flaccid. Central Asia. (B. M. 6994.)