Allium scorodoprasum

The sand leek (Allium scorodoprasum), also known as rocambole and Korean pickled-peel garlic,[4] is a Eurasian species of wild onion with a native range extending across much of Europe, Middle East, and Korea.[3][5][6][7][8][9] The species should not be confused with rocambole garlic, which is A. sativum var. ophioscorodon.

Sand leek, rocambole
Allium scorodoprasum[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species:
A. scorodoprasum
Binomial name
Allium scorodoprasum
Synonyms[3]

Description

The sand leek is a perennial plant with an egg-shaped bulb. The plant produces two to five unstalked leaves, the bases of which are sheath-like. Each leaf blade is linear, 7–20 mm wide,[10] flat with a slight keel, an entire margin and parallel veins. The edges of the leaf and the central vein are rough to the touch. The flowering stem is cylindrical, growing to a height of 30 to 90 cm (12 to 35 in) and the upper half is leafless. The whole plant has an onion-like aroma. The inflorescence is a globular cluster surrounded by membranous bracts in bud which wither when the flowers open. Each individual flower is stalked and has a purple perianth 4 to 7 mm (0.16 to 0.28 in) long. There are six tepals, six stamens and a pistil formed from three fused carpels. Mixed with the flowers are a number of purple bulbils. The fruit is a capsule, but the seeds seldom set, and propagation usually takes place when the bulbils are knocked off and grow into new plants.[11]

Habitat

The natural habitat of A. scorodoprasum is damp broad-leaved woodland, forest margins, shores, hillside meadows and hedgerows. It was at one time used as a kitchen herb and can sometimes be found near old habitations.[11][12]

Cultivation

A. scorodoprasum is edible but seldom cultivated, and has a shorter flower stalk and fewer and more inconsistently shaped cloves than Rocambole garlic. Sand leek also has a dark violet bulb wrapper.[13]

Elephant garlic (properly A. ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum) is also sometimes incorrectly sold as A. scorodoprasum.

References
  1. 1885 illustration from Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany
  2. Kell, S.P., Draper Munt, D., Magos Brehm, J., Korpelainen, H., Tavares, M., Collett, L., Labokas, J., Eliáš, P., Smekalova, T., Strajeru, S. & Bulińska, Z. (2011). Allium scorodoprasum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T172166A6840826. Downloaded on 05 January 2019.
  3. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 348. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2016 – via Korea Forest Service.
  5. Altervista Flora Italiana, Aglio romano, sand leek, Allium scorodoprasum L. includes photos, drawings, European distribution map
  6. Komarov, V.L. (ed.) (1935). Flora SSSR 4: 1-586. Izdatel'stov Akademii Nauk SSSR, Leningrad.
  7. Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1984). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 8: 1-632. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  8. Danin, A. (2004). Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina area: 1-517. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
  9. Dimpoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
  10. Stace, C. A. (2010). New Flora of the British Isles (Third ed.). Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. p. 903. ISBN 9780521707725.
  11. "Sand leak: Allium scorodoprasum". NatureGate. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  12. "Allium scorodoprasum". Plants For A Future. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  13. Growing Great Garlic, 2nd Edition, Filaree Productions, 1992, p. 7.
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