ALLIUM CALLIMISCHON subsp. HAEMOSTICTUM

Family and Genus:- See ALLIACEAE/Sect. SCORODON

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Allium haemostictum

Meaning:- Allium (L) The ancient Latin name for garlic.

Callimischon (Gr) Beautifully pedicelled.

Haemostictum (Gr) Blood spotted.

General description:- Very variable medium to tall bulbous perennial.

Bulb:-

1) 1 cm in diam. narrowly ovoid. outer tunics coriaceous, ultimately breaking into

parallel fibres.

Stem:-

1) 9-38 cm, terete.

Leaves:-

1) 3-5, the lowest up to 30 cm x 1 mm, sheathing the stem almost up to the umbel,

filiform, slightly canaliculate, glabrous.

1) Spathe, 2-4 cm, 1-valved, erect, persistent.

Flowers:-

1) Umbel, fastigiate, with 8-25 flowers.

2) Pedicels, 7-25 mm, very unequal.

3) Perianth, cupuliform or infundibuliform:

a) segments, 5-7 x 1·5 mm, white, with dark red spots in the upper part,

oblanceolate truncate.

4) Stamens, included or with the anthers exserted.

5) Filaments, c. 6 mm, simple.

6) Anthers, red before dehiscence

Fruit:-

1) Capsule 5 mm.

Key features:-

1) Stem usually solid, not inflated, and usually slender.

2) Filaments, c. 6 mm, simple.

3) Umbel, fastigiate with erect or ascending pedicels.

4) Leaves, sheathing the stem almost up to the umbel.

5) Perianth-segments oblanceolate, truncate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous cliffs, slopes, in crevices and among rocks between 300 m

and 2100 m.

Distribution:- Endemic SW. Turkey, W. Crete and the Afendis Kavousi area in the

east.

Flowering time:- Sept-Oct.

Photos by:- Yoav Ramon