Relatives

Allium ursinum L. - Wild Garlic, Ramsons.

Taxonomic position.

Family Alliaceae J.Agardh, genus Allium L.

Synonymy.

Allium ucranicum (Kleop. & Oxner) Bordz., A. ursinum subsp. ucranicum Kleop. & Oxner, A. ursinum var. ucranicum (Kleop. & Oxner) Soo

Morphology and biology.

Perennial. Geophyte. Bulbous. Bulbs elongated, about 1 cm long. Stem triquetrous, 30-60 cm tall. Leaves usually 2, shorter than stem, smooth, flat, elliptic-lanceolate with well distinct blade, 3-5 cm wide, sharpened at apex, at base gradually narrowed into petiole, the latter almost as long as blade. Umbel semispherical, few-flowered, with caducous spathe. Pedicels equal to each other. Tepals snow-white, linear-lanceolate, acute, 9-12 mm long. Capsule 3-seeded. Seeds subglobose. Autochore. Flowers in May - early June, fruits in June - July. 2n=14, 16.

Distribution.

Central European nemoral species. Central and East Europe, Caucasus. In Russia occurs in a form of small islets in central regions of the European part.

Ecology.

Mesophyte. Occurs in dense shady broad-leaved forests with rich soils, sometimes remains on felled areas. Goes up to the middle montane zone.

Use and economic value.

Food (vegetable), vitaminic, medicine. Leaves, stems and bulbs have strong garlic smell. Widely used for food both fresh and brined as a dressing. Contains much ascorbic acid. Due to relatively small natural stock of Allium ursinum, the plant needs conservation. Prospective for bringing under cultivation.

References:

Schmidt VM., ed. 1990. Ranges of distribution of medicinal plants and their relatives in the USSR (Atlas). 2nd ed. Leningrad: Leningrad University Publ. P.21-23. (In Russian).
Brezhnev DD., Korovina ON. 1981. Wild relatives of cultivated plants of the USSR flora. Leningrad: Kolos. P.98. (In Russian).
Vvedensky AI. 1935. Onion - Allium L. In: Komarov VL., ed. Flora URSS. V.4. Moscow; Leningrad: AN SSSR. P.142. (In Russian).
Gubanov IA., Kiseleva KV., Novikov VS., Tikhomirov VN. 2002. Illustrated Manual of the Middle Russia Plants. V.1. Moscow: KMK. 526 p. (In Russian).

© I.G.Chukhina

© Photo by N.V.Frisen