Allium neapolitanum

Allium neapolitanum is a perennial bulbous plant in the onion subfamily within the Amaryllis family. Common names include Neapolitan garlic,[2] Naples garlic, daffodil garlic, false garlic, flowering onion, Naples onion, Guernsey star-of-Bethlehem, star, white garlic, and wood garlic.

Allium neapolitanum
Allium neapolitanum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species:
A. neapolitanum
Binomial name
Allium neapolitanum
Synonyms[1]
  • Allium album Santi
  • Allium amblyopetalum Link
  • Allium candidissimum Cav.
  • Allium candidum C.Presl
  • Allium cowanii Lindl.
  • Allium gouanii G.Don
  • Allium inodorum Aiton
  • Allium lacteum Sm.
  • Allium laetum Pollini
  • Allium liliflorum Zeyh.
  • Allium neapolitanum var. angustifolium Täckh. & Drar
  • Allium sieberianum Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Allium subhirsutum Sieber ex Kunth
  • Allium subhirsutum Delile ex Boiss.
  • Allium subhirsutum subsp. album (Santi) Maire & Weiller
  • Allium subhirsutum var. glabrum Regel
  • Allium sulcatum DC.
  • Geboscon inodorum (Aiton) Thell.
  • Nothoscordum inodorum (Aiton) G. Nicholson

Its native range extends across the Mediterranean Region from Portugal to Turkey.[3][4] The species is naturalized in other areas, including Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and in southern and western parts of the United States. It is classed as an invasive species in parts of the U.S.,[5] and is found primarily in the U.S. states of California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.[6][7]

Allium neapolitanum is cultivated by gardeners for its ornamental value. It produces round bulbs up to 2 cm across. The scape is up to 25 cm tall, round in cross-section but sometimes has wings toward the bottom. The inflorescence is an umbel of up to 25 white flowers with yellow anthers.[6][7][8][9]

Allium neapolitanum seems to have beta-adrenergic antagonist properties.[10]

  • Flower closeup
  • Flower closeup
  • Naples garlic (Allium neapolitanum) blossoming
  • Allium neapolitanum in early Spring

References
  1. The Plant List
  2. "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. Kew Botanical Gardens, World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium neapolitanum Cirillo
  4. Altervista Flora Italiana, Allium neapolitanum
  5. United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile
  6. "Allium flower, Allium neapolitanum". Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  7. Flora of North America v 26 p 257 Allium neapolitanum
  8. Cirillo, Domenico Maria Leone. 1788. Plantarum Rariorum Regni Neapolitani 1: 13.
  9. Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  10. Nencini C, Franchi GG, Micheli L (June 2010). "Cardiovascular receptor binding affinity of aqueous extracts from Allium species". International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 61 (4): 433–9. doi:10.3109/09637481003591608. PMID 20446820. S2CID 41881100.


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