The Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening and Botanical Index

• Allium — A major genus of monocotyledonous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae (subfamily Allioideae), comprising hundreds of species of perennial bulbous plants with a characteristic pungent odor. It includes food and aromatic plants of massive global economic importance, such as onion (Allium cepa), garlic (Allium sativum), leek (Allium porrum), and chives, as well as numerous species cultivated in gardens as ornamental plants due to their spectacular spherical inflorescences.