Tas. 6828, 
ALLIUM GIGANTEUM. 
Native of Central Asia. 
Nat. Ord. Lintacen.— Tribe ALLIER. 
Genus AtuiuM, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p- 802.) 
Axtium (Molium) giganteum; bulbo globoso maximo, foliis 6-9 basalibus loratis 
idis glaucescentibus sesquipedalibus margine glabris, scapo valido tereti 
3~4-pedali, floribus permultis parvis lilacinis in umbellam globosam magnam 
aggregatis, spathe valvis 2 ovatis cuspidatis, pedicellis strictis elonsatis, 
perianthii segmentis oblanceolato-oblongis obtusis flore expanso patulis, stami- 
nibus perianthio sesquilongioribus, filamentis subulatis deorsum  lanceolatis 
=o 2s thegpapats coalitis, ovario depresso-globoso breviter stipitato, stylo subulato 
elongato. 
A. giganteum, Regel in Gartenflora, vol. xxxii. (1883), p. 96, t. 1113; Deser. 
Plant. Nov, fase. ix. p. 23. 
A. elatum, Regel Descr. Pl. Nov. fase. ix. p. 23, 25, t. 20, figs. g, h, é et &. 
This is the most striking species of a group of Alliums 
which inhabit Central Asia, characterized by their tall 
stature, broad leaves, small lilac flowers, and exserted 
stamens. It was supposed by Dr. Regel to be a native of 
the Himalayas, but that is a mistake. At the instigation 
of Mr. Frank Miles, the well-known explorer and war 
correspondent O’Donovan, who was killed in Egypt, 
collected a number of bulbs on his adventurous expedition 
to Merv, the account of which has lately been reprinted 
in book form. It was from these bulbs, given by Mr. 
Miles direct, and also by Max Leichtlin to Dr. Regel, that 
the specimens were derived from which the plant was 
originally named and figured. I think there can be no 
question, now we know this, that Alliwm elatum, collected 
by Dr. Albert Regel in the Khanate of Baldschuan, is 
really the same species. Our own drawing was made from 
a plant that flowered in the herbaceous ground at Kew in 
June, 1883, the bulb of which was given to us also by 
Max Leichtlin. It flowered also with Mr. Frank Miles at 
aveusT lst, 18865. 
