Allium ampeloprasum

Wild Leek
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Alliaceae
Genus:	Allium
Species:	A. ampeloprasum
Binomial name
Allium ampeloprasum L.

Allium ampeloprasum is a member of the onion genus Allium, in the family Alliaceae. The wild plant is commonly known as (Broadleaf) Wild Leek - not to be confused with the N. American Allium tricoccum of the same name. Its native range is S. Europe to W. Asia, and seems to have been introduced to Britain by prehistoric people, where its habitat consists of rocky places near the coast in south-west England and Wales.^[1][2] It has been differentiated into three cultivated vegetables, namely leek, elephant garlic and kurrat. In tidewater Virginia, the plant is commonly known as the “Yorktown Onion.” [1]

Synonym

Allium porrum L.

Vernacular names

Allium ampeloprasum comprises several vegetables, of which the most important ones are known as

• leek (English), poireau (French), alho porro (Portuguese);
• great-headed garlic, elephant garlic (English), ail à grosse tête (French);
• pearl onion (English), poireau perpétuel, petit poireau antillais (French), alho bravo, alho inglês (Portuguese)
• kurrat (English, French).^[3]
• Persian: (تره) Tareh (Allium ampeloprasum ssp. persicum)
• Tamil: இராகூச்சிட்டம் (Iraakuuccittam)

Just beginning to flower

Fully flowered

See also

• Wild leek
• Ramsons

References

1. ^ Plants for a Future: Allium ampeloprasum
2. ^ CHRISTOPHER D. PRESTON, DAVID A. PEARMAN, ALLAN R. HALL (2004) Archaeophytes in Britain Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 145 (3), 257–294 doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2004.00284.x, p. 264
3. ^ Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.

External links

• PROTAbase on Allium ampeloprasum
• Allium ampeloprasum in Guernsey
• Allium ampeloprasum in the USA
• Plants For a Future database