Description:

• Perennial herbs with bulbs or bulb-like corms, membranous or fibrous scales, or rhizome
• Leaves basally concentrated, spirally set or distichous, filiform-linear, lanceolate or rarely ovate, flat, terete, fistulose or angular, sheathing at base, parallel-veined; allylic sulphides and other compounds in some, to give onion-like smell
• Inflorescence umbel-like, with short- or long-pedicelled flowers, pedicels not articulated, subtended by involucre of 2 or more membranous spathal bracts, free; scape terete or angular
• Flowers bisexual, regular, hypogynous
• Perianth 3 + 3, free or connate to form tubular perianth with erect, spreading or sometimes recurved lobes
• Stamens 3 + 3; filaments arising at base of tepals or in tube, flat; anthers 2-thecous, elongate, epipeltate and introrse, opening longitudinally
• Ovary superior, 3-locular; ovules 2-many, on axile placentas; style 1; stigma 3-lobed or capitate
• Fruit a loculicidal, 3-locular capsule
• Seeds black, few-many, sometimes small, ovoid or ellipsoidal to subglobose, more often triangular and half-ovoid, half-globose or tetrahedral

Nomenclature:

• Alliaceae
  • Dahlgren et al.: 193 (1985)
• Liliaceae in part
  • Dyer: 915 (1976)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera 30, species ± 720, widespread
• Southern Africa: Genera 3 (1(2?) naturalised), species 22

References:

• DAHLGREN, R.M.T., CLIFFORD, H.T. & YEO, P.F. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
• DYER, R.A. 1976. The genera of southern African flowering plants, Vol. 2. Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria

Resources:

• Key to Alliaceae genera

• Alliaceae genera: