Allium stipitatum

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Allium stipitatum
Allium stipitatum 'Mt Everest'1.jpg
'Mount Everest'
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: Allium subg. Melanocrommyum
Species:
A. stipitatum
Binomial name
Allium stipitatum
Synonyms [3]
  • Allium hirtifoliumBoissier
  • Allium atropurpureum var. hirtulumRegel
Allium stipitatum 'Mt Everest'2.jpg

Allium stipitatum, Persian shallot, [4] is an Asian species of onion native to central and southwestern Asia.

Contents

Some sources regard Allium stipitatum and A. hirtifolium as the same species, [3] while others treat A. stipitatum and A. hirtifolium as distinct. [5] Allium stipitatum in the more inclusive sense occurs in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. [3]

The epithet stipitatum means 'with a little stalk' referring to the ovary. [6]

Description

Allium stipitatum grows from bulbs, 3 to 6 cm in diameter, which have blackish, paper-like tunics. The 4–6 basal leaves are broad, green to greyish green in colour, and variably hairy. The leaves are normally withered by the time the bulb flowers. Flowers are borne on stems which are 60–150 cm (24–59 in) tall and arranged in an umbel (a structure where the individual flowers are attached to a central point). The umbels are some 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in) in diameter, relatively small compared to the tall stems, hence the description 'drumstick allium'. Individual flowers, of which there are many, are a typical allium shape, with a superior ovary and six tepals of a lilac to purple colour, around 2.5 to 5 cm long; white forms are known.

Plants grow on rocky slopes and in fields at elevations of 1,500–2,500 m (4,900–8,200 ft). [5] [7] It is a typical 'drumstick allium', with a more-or-less spherical umbel on a tall stipe, and as such has often been confused with other similar species. [6]

Use in Persian cuisine

Persian shallots Shalot.JPG
Persian shallots

Bulbs of Allium stipitatum are eaten in Iran, where they are called موسیر (pronounced /muːˈsiːɾ/). They grow wild across the Zagros Mountains. [4] Most of those eaten are harvested from the wild, sliced, dried, and sold at markets. Buyers will often soak the shallots for a number of days then boil them to obtain a milder flavour. They are often crushed and mixed with yogurt. Iranians enjoy yogurt in this way, especially in restaurants and kebab-saras where just kebabs are served.[ citation needed ]

Iranian plants are among those referred to as A. hirtifolium, when distinguished from A. stipitatum. [8]

Ornamental use

Mathew describes this species as "stately", and the easiest to grow of the tall alliums, flowering in about four years when grown from seed. [7] In keeping with the wild habitat of the species, when grown for ornament, well-drained, sunny conditions are recommended. [5] Care is needed in placing all the drumstick alliums, since their withered leaves are unattractive at flowering time. Davies notes that "as a bonus numerous offsets are produced"; [6] this has the potential to make the species invasive when grown in borders.

The cultivars 'Mount Everest' [9] and 'Violet Beauty' [10] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Medicinal properties and health effects

Allium stipitatum is used as a medicinal plant in Central Asia. Extracts of the bulbs of the plant, which showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis , were found to contain several pyridine-N-oxide derivatives. Analysis of the cut plant using a mass spectrometer equipped with a DART ion source showed the presence of N-hydroxypyridine-2-thione, also known as pyrithione, a compound which is moderately cytotoxic toward human tumour cell lines, and highly active against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. Pyrithione-containing plant extracts are used in herbal medicine for treatment of malaria. Zinc pyrithione is used in commercial anti-dandruff shampoos. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Allium tricoccum</i> Species of wild onion

Allium tricoccum is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family Amaryllidaceae. It is a North American species of wild onion or garlic widespread across eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Many of the common English names for this plant are also used for other Allium species, particularly the similar Allium ursinum, which is native to Europe and Asia. An edible plant, Allium tricoccum is used in a variety of North American and indigenous cuisines, and has also been used by Native Americans in traditional medicine. A French rendering (chicagou) of a Native American name for this plant is the namesake of the American city of Chicago.

<i>Allium vineale</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium vineale is a perennial, bulb-forming species of wild onion, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and the Middle East. The species was introduced in Australia and North America, where it has become a noxious weed.

<i>Allium ampeloprasum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium ampeloprasum is a member of the onion genus Allium. The wild plant is commonly known as wild leek or broadleaf wild leek. Its native range is southern Europe to southwestern Asia and North Africa, but it is cultivated in many other places and has become naturalized in many countries.

<i>Allium sphaerocephalon</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium sphaerocephalon is a plant species in the Amaryllis family known as round-headed leek, round-headed garlic, ball-head onion, and other variations on these names. Drumstick allium is another common name applied to this species. Some publications use the alternate spelling Allium sphaerocephalum. It is a bulbous herbaceous perennial plant.

<i>Allium neapolitanum</i> Species of plant

Allium neapolitanum is a bulbous herbaceous perennial plant in the onion subfamily within the Amaryllis family. Common names include Neapolitan garlic, Naples garlic, daffodil garlic, false garlic, flowering onion, Naples onion, Guernsey star-of-Bethlehem, star, white garlic, and wood garlic.

<i>Allium caeruleum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium caeruleum is an ornamental bulbous plant of the onion genus, native to Central Asia. In these regions, it is found on dry slopes, plains, and steppes.

<i>Allium unifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium unifolium, the one-leaf onion or American garlic, is a North American species of wild onion. It is native to the coastal mountain ranges of California, Oregon, and Baja California. It grows on clay soils including serpentine, at elevations up to 1100 m.

<i>Allium fibrillum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium fibrillum is a North American species of wild onion known by the common names Blue Mountain onion and Cuddy Mountain onion. It is native to the northwestern United States from eastern Washington and Oregon through Idaho to Montana. It is a perennial herb.

<i>Allium macrostemon</i> Species of wild onion widespread across much of East Asia

Allium macrostemon, Chinese garlic, Japanese garlic or long-stamen onion, is a species of wild onion widespread across much of East Asia. It is known from many parts of China, as well as Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Tibet and Primorye. It has been collected from elevations ranging from sea level to 3000 m.

<i>Allium hollandicum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium hollandicum, the Persian onion or Dutch garlic, is a species of flowering plant native to Iran and Kyrgyzstan but widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its umbels of attractive purple flowers. It is reportedly naturalized in Saint Louis County, Minnesota.

Allium rhynchogynum is a Chinese species of wild onion endemic to the Yunnan region in southern China. It grows at elevations of 2700–3200 m.

<i>Allium thunbergii</i> Species of plant

Allium thunbergii, Thunberg's chive or Thunberg garlic, is an East Asian species of wild onion native to Japan, Korea, and China. It grows at elevations up to 3000 m. The Flora of China recognizes A. tunbergii and A. stenodon as separate species, but more recent sources combine the two.

<i>Allium carinatum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Allium carinatum, the keeled garlic or witch's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is widespread across central and southern Europe, with some populations in Asiatic Turkey. It is cultivated in many places as an ornamental and also for its potently aromatic bulbs used as a food flavoring.

Allium commutatum is a species of Mediterranean onions in the amaryllis family. Its native range extends from Corsica and Algeria to Turkey. It has also been introduced to northern Argentina.

<i>Allium flavum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium flavum, the small yellow onion or yellow-flowered garlic, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium. A bulbous herbaceous perennial, it is native to the lands surrounding the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas, from France + Morocco to Iran + Kazakhstan.

<i>Allium insubricum</i> Species of plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Allium insubricum, the Lombardy garlic, is a species of flowering plant endemic to the Lombardy region in northern Italy. It is named for Insubria, the ancient name for the area around present-day Milan. The species is, however, widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its striking flowers. Its locus classicus is located in Canzo.

<i>Allium schubertii</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium schubertii, which has various common names including ornamental onion, flowering onion, tumbleweed onion and Persian onion, is a species of monocotyledonous flowering plant. It belongs to the onion and garlic genus, in the subfamily Allioideae of the family Amaryllidaceae. It occurs in the Levant and Libya.

<i>Allium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants with hundreds of species, including the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, and chives. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and the type species for the genus is Allium sativum which means "cultivated garlic".

References

  1. Eduard August von Regel. 1881. Trudy Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago Botaniceskago Sada. Acta Horti Petropolitani 7: 546
  2. http The International Plant Names Index
  3. 1 2 3 "Allium stipitatum", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2012-02-27
  4. 1 2 Ebrahimia, R.; Zamani, Z. & Kash, A. (2009), "Genetic diversity evaluation of wild Persian shallot (Allium hirtifolium Boiss.) using morphological and RAPD markers", Scientia Horticulturae, 119 (4): 345–351, doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2008.08.032
  5. 1 2 3 Davies, Dilys (1992), Alliums : the ornamental onions, London: B.T. Batsford (in association with the Hardy Plant Society), ISBN   978-0-7134-7030-7 , p. 101f. and p. 137f.
  6. 1 2 3 Davies 1992 , p. 137
  7. 1 2 Mathew, Brian (1978), The Larger Bulbs, London: B.T. Batsford (in association with the Royal Horticultural Society), ISBN   978-0-7134-1246-8 , p. 32
  8. Davies 1992 , p. 101
  9. "Allium stipitatum 'Mount Everest'". Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  10. "Allium stipitatum 'Violet Beauty'". Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  11. O’Donnell, G.; Poeschl, R.; Zimhony, O.; Gunaratnam, M.; Moreira, J.B.C.; Neidle, S.; Evangelopoulos, D.; Bhakta, S.; Malkinson, J.P.; Boshoff, H.I.; Lenaerts, A. & Gibbons, S. (2009), "Bioactive pyridine-N-oxide disulfides from Allium stipitatum", J. Nat. Prod., 72 (3): 360–365, doi:10.1021/np800572r, PMC   2765505 , PMID   19093848
  12. Kusterer, J.; Vogt, A. & Keusgen, M. (2010), "Isolation and Identification of a New Cysteine Sulfoxide and Volatile Sulfur Compounds from Allium Subgenus Melanocrommyum", J. Agric. Food Chem., 58 (1): 520–526, doi:10.1021/jf902294c, PMID   19919098
  13. Block, E. (2010), Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science, Royal Society of Chemistry, ISBN   978-0-85404-190-9
  14. Block, E.; Dane, A.J. & Cody, R.B. (2011), "Crushing Garlic and Slicing Onions: Detection of Sulfenic Acids and Other Reactive Organosulfur Intermediates from Garlic and Other Alliums Using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS)", Phosphorus, Sulfur, Silicon and the Related Elements, 186 (5): 1085–1093, doi:10.1080/10426507.2010.507728, S2CID   98520689

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