Botany of the Onions 



157 



perennials, mostly bulbous. Many species are native to North 

 America, some of them being known as leeks. The wild 

 species often produce bulbels in the flower-cluster, as does the 

 " top onion." The plants carry the characteristic alliaceous 

 odor, of which the onion flavor is one of the manifestations. 

 The black angular seeds of these plants do not long retain 

 their vitality ; 2 to 3 years is the usual longevity. Many of 

 the edible forms have been domesticated from prehistoric 

 time, the onions and others being considerably modified through 

 long cultivation. The plants have brought with them several 

 of the ancient substantive names : prason, the Greek word for 

 leek, now preserved to us in such combinations as Schceno- 

 prasum (rush- or reed-leek), Scorodoprasum (compounded of 

 Greek words for garlic and leek, anciently used for a kind 

 of garlic), Ameloprasum (vine-leek) ; Porrum, Latin word 

 for leek, allied to Greek prason; Cepa, the Latin cwpa, an 

 onion. 



A. Leaves fistulose (cylindrical and hollow). 



B. Plant a "tufted perennial, without prominent bulbs, growing in mats. 



1. A. Schocnoprasum. 



BB. Plant mostly biennial or plur-biennial, usually with evident bulb 

 or bulb-like enlargement. — ONIONS proper. 

 C. The leaves large, not numerous. 



Bulb large and prominent. 2. A. Cepa. 



Bulb little thicker than the neck or crown. 



3. A. Ustulosum. 

 CC. The leaves small, awl-shaped, numerous. 4. A. ascalonicum. 

 AA. Leaves plane or flat (.not fistulose). 



B. Bulb of several parts or cloves. 5. A. sativum. 



BB. Bulb simple, not much enlarged. 6. A. Porrum. 



1. A, Schoenoprasum, Linn. Sp. PI. 301. Chive. Erect 

 glabrous perennial, 6 in. to 2 ft. high when in bloom, growing 

 in tough clumps or tufts : stems enlarged somewhat into long 

 slender bulbous bases ; roots many and tough : leaves many 

 in the clump, grasslike, some of them radical and others 

 sheathing the stems, terete, hollow, long-pointed, usually equal- 

 ling or surpassing the scapes : flowers rose-purple, many in 

 a single terminal head which is subtended by the two thin 



