Taxonomical and Ethnobotanical Aspects of Allium Species from Middle Asia with Particular Reference to Subgenus Allium

Abstract

The genus Allium L. is a complicated polymorphous group of vascular plants of which a number of species are used since ancient times as vegetable crops. The number of wild Allium species growing naturally in the Old and New World is increasing every year due to new discoveries and is currently estimated around 1000 species. The region encompassing the Mediterranean, Middle Asia, Iran and Afghanistan is the main centre of diversity of the largest subgenus of the genus Allium, namely Allium with circa 400 species and subspecies. Nearly all ancestors of garlic and leek originate from this region and some of their closest relatives are still present. Furthermore, there are numerous wild Allium species present in this region, which could be of interest for innovative breeding concerning pharmaceutical, ornamental and edible traits. A revised and updated list of the subgenus is presented in this paper.

2.1 Introduction

Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae J. St.-Hil.) is the largest genus of the petaloid monocotyledons, excluding orchids and is one of the most studied groups of vascular plants because of its economic importance. Every year a dozen new species (mainly from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Asian regions) are described and the current total number of wild species described exceeds 1000 (with about 50 subspecies). One of the first descriptions of Allium species was given by Halleir (1745) as “Moly foliis caulinis lanceolatis floribus umbellatis, ex ala bulbiferum”. A few years later Linneus (1753) described plant species (including Allium) via binomial names (Allium sativum, Allium schoenoprasum, Allium angulosum, Allium nutans, Allium senescens and Allium porrum). Afterwards, several taxonomic classifications of the genus were proposed, starting from Don (1832), who divided Allium species into seven groups without taxonomical distinctive generative characters. Then, Koch (1837) authorized a classification in sections, and he distinguished the following sections: Anguinum G. Don f. ex Koch, Rhizirideum G. Don f. ex Koch, Molium G. Don f. ex Koch, Porrum G. Don f. ex Koch, Schoenoprasum G. Don f. ex Koch and Codonoprasum G. Don f. ex Koch. Fifty years later Regel (1875) wrote the first comprehensive monograph of the genus in which more than new 100 species were described. Vvedensky (1935), published a revision of the genus Allium occurring in the Old World in the Flora of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and in 1971 he described 17 new species in the Conspectus Florae Asiae Mediae (Vvedensky and Kovalevskaya 1971). A number of European and American botanists also made important contributions to Allium taxonomy (Hermann 1939; Stearn 1944; Traub 1968, 1972; Wendelbo 1969, 1971). It was Kamelin (1973) who presented the first subdivision of the genus into 6 subgenera and 20 sections. His classification was based on the idea that primitive Allium species had 12 stamens. According to him, these 12 stamens evolved into two circles of stamens. The outer (=lateral) circle of three separate stamens remained the same whereas the inner circle stamens evolved into three cusps each bearing three connate filaments of which the central one carries an anther. The stamens of the outer circle alternate with the cusps of the inner circle. The form of the inner circle cusps is the main character for taxonomic research in several sections within this subgenus.

Hanelt and co-workers undertook a new approach to elucidate the taxonomy of the Alliums using molecular methods involving 450 Old World Allium species (Hanelt et al. 1992). One of the outcomes of this research became also the monography “Nomenclator Alliorum: Allium names and synonyms—a world guide” (Gregory et al. 1998). Four subgenera, 39 sections and 682 species in the Old World and 84 American species were identified, as well as 1170 species names were included, over half of which were generally considered to be synonyms. Two years before, Mathew (1996) published a full revision of subgenus Allium with multidisciplinary data. Finally, a new classification of the genus based on nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences was published (Friesen et al. 2006), and 15 subgenera and 72 sections were recognized, namely (Nectaroscordum (Lindl.) Asch. & Graebn., Microscordum (Maxim.) N. Friesen, Amerallium Traub., Caloscordum (Herb.) R.M. Fritsch, Anguinum (G. Don ex Koch) N. Friesen, Porphyroprason (Ekberg) R.M. Fritsch, Vvedenskya (Kamelin) R.M. Fritsch, Melanocrommyum (Webb. & Berth.) Rouy., Butomissa (Salisb.) N. Friesen, Cyathophora (R.M. Fritsch) R.M. Fritsch, Rhizirideum (G. Don ex Koch) Wendelbo, Allium, Reticulatobulbosa (Kamelin) N. Friesen, Polyprason Radic and Cepa (Mill.) Radic). Authors revealed three evolutionary lines: the first line consists of first three above-mentioned subgenera; the second line includes five next ones and third line includes seven retained ones including subgenus Allium.

A new Allium list with descriptions and results of lectotypification already made by Allium specialists in the past decade became necessary and appropriate especially for scientists dealing with Allium genetic resources. One of the best revisions of subgenus Melanocrommyum was made by Fritsch and co-workers (Fritsch et al. 2010; Fritsch and Abbasi 2013; Fritsch 2016) based on nearly 30 years of studies on living material originating from the whole area of distribution. His new classification included 160 species, affiliated to the 20 sections and 22 subsections was based on molecular and morphological characters and marks the end-point of the Gatersleben Allium classification approach.

2.2 Allium Subgenus Allium

The largest group within the genus is subgenus Allium with more than 375 species and 35 subspecies divided into 18 sections, however, a detailed phylogenetic classification of this taxonomically complex subgenus is still missing. Altogether only about 40 species of this subgenus have been studied via DNA analysis. Future research will probably detect more infrasubgeneric groups, which occurs in temperate Europe, the Mediterranean region, Near and Middle East countries and North-west China, with only a few species occurring outside this area (Fig. 2.1). For example, Allium synnotii G. Don (=Allium dregeanum Kunth)  occurs in the Southern hemisphere in South Africa, which perhaps resulted from an early introduction of European settlers of a related taxon (de Wilde-Duyfjes 1976). Furthermore, species like Allium vineale L. and Allium ampeloprasum L. are naturalized in North America (McNeal and Jacobsen 2007) and Australia.

Fig. 2.1

Distribution of Allium subgenus Allium

Taxonomical studies based on herbarium material only is often inadequate, even on the species level, because during the drying process several diagnostic characters can change. For example, important traits in Allium taxonomy, like pedicels and perianth form and colour, do change during drying. Thus, the large number of newly discovered Allium taxa from the end of the twentieth century could be explained because of this phenomena. Subgenus Allium consists of two large groups; one having simple cuspidated inner filaments while another have three-cuspidated inner filaments. Moreover, recently described sections show different types of filaments (e.g. teeth-like, lateral cusps shorter than anther-bearing cusps or sometimes numerous), as well as a keeled or tubercular-pitted form of bulblets (Fig. 2.2) which never occur in other subgenera.

Fig. 2.2

Bulblets of Allium haneltii F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch

This might point to the presence of centres of recent speciation in the region of Middle Asia, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East. The majority of the newly described sections are widely supported by molecular data, whereas the informal groups proposed by Mathew (1996), were not supported (Friesen et al. 2006). Species from subgenus Allium are ecologically restricted to dry, open habitats mostly with a sparse vegetation cover, and are rarely found in open forests or forest margins. Some species like Allium rubellum and Allium griffithianum can occur in monotypic associations in deserts and low mountains in Middle Asia. In years with sufficient precipitation and high spring temperatures, they can form flowering carpets. The largest section within the subgenus, namely Codonoprasum, together with section Allium, is distributed mainly in the Mediterranean. In Middle Asia, only several species of tall garlic (Allium ampeloprasum, Allium atroviolaceum) are growing in the pre-mountainous cultivated zone. Section Codonoprasum can be characterized as a heterogeneous complex of small size Allium species occurring in desert and mountainous regions having a broad spectrum of vegetative and generative periods. Sections Longivaginata and Brevispatha are taxonomically close showing a large overlap of asymmetric spathe traits as well as unusual late flowering (in September). Furthermore, there are several monotypic (Haneltia, Rechingeria, Kopetdagia) and oligotypic (Mediasia, Spathulata) sections which are endemic in Middle  Asia. Moreover, Allium kujukense Vved. was earlier included in subgenus Allium, but Kamelin (1973) surprisingly placed it into subgenus Melanocrommyum as a separate section, namely Vvedenskya Kamelin. Molecular analysis indicated its unique origin and therefore this section was later raised to the subgenus level (Friesen et al. 2006). However, it will be clear that more research on this interesting subgenus is warranted to obtain an in-depth insight into the taxonomic and evolutionary relationships between the sections and species occurring in the various sections.

The taxonomic classification below of subgenus Allium presents the current state of the art.

2.3 A Revised and Updated Classification of Allium Subgenus Allium (375 Species and 35 Subspecies)

Type: A. sativum L.

Section 1. Allium (ca 125 species and 20 subspecies). Typus: A. sativum L.

abbasii R.M. Fritsch, acutiflorum Loisel., affine Ledeb., aksekiense Özhatay & al., albiflorum Omelczuk, alibile A. Rich., altoatlanticum Seregin, amethystinum Tausch, ampeloprasum L., anatolicum Özhatay & B. Mathew, antalyense Eren & al., armerioides Boiss., artemisietorum Eig & Feinbrun, ascalonicum L., asirense B. Mathew, asperiflorum Miscz. ex Grossh., atroviolaceum Boiss., aucheri Boiss., aznavense R.M. Fritsch, baeticum Boiss., barthianum Asch. & Schweinf., baytopiorum Kollmann & Özhatay, bourgeaui Rech.f. (ssp. creticum Bothmer, ssp. cycladicum Bothmer), brevipes Ledeb., calyptratum Boiss., cappadocicum Boiss. & Balansa, chamaespathum Boiss., clivorum R.M. Fritsch, commutatum Guss., curtum Boiss. & Gaill. (ssp. aegyptiacum Täckh. & Drar, ssp. palaestinum Feinbrun), damascenum Feinbrun, deserti-syriaci Feinbrun, dictyoprasum C.A. Mey. ex Kunth, dictyoscordum Vved., dilatatum Zahar., drusorum Feinbrun, ebusitanum Font Quer, ekimianum Ekşi & al., eldivanense Özhatay, enginii Özhatay & B. Mathew, erubescens K. Koch, erzincanicum Özhatay & Kandemir, esfandiarii Matin, fethiyense Özhatay & B. Mathew, filidens Regel (ssp. filidens, ssp. mogianense R.M. Fritsch & F.O. Khass.), filidentiforme Vved., gabardaghense Fırat, fominianum Miscz. ex Grossh., fritschii F.O. Khass. & Yengal., fuscoviolaceum Fomin, goekyigitii Ekim & al., gomphrenoides Boiss. & Heldr. ex Boiss., gorumsense (Regel) Boiss., gramineum K. Koch, guttatum Steven (ssp. guttatum, ssp. dalmaticum (A. Kern. ex Janch.) Stearn, ssp. sardoum (Moris) Stearn, ssp. tenorei (Parl.) Soldano), heldreichii Boiss., hemisphaericum (Sommier) Brullo, gypsodictyum Vved., hamrinense Hand.-Mazz., ilgazense Özhatay, integerrimum Zahar., iranicum (Wendelbo) Wendelbo, jajlae Vved., jubatum J.F. Macbr., junceum Sm.(ssp. junceum, ssp. tridentatum Kollmann, Koyuncu & Özhatay), karakense Regel, karyeteini Post, kayae Özhatay & Koyuncu, koyuncui H. Duman & Özhatay, leucanthum K. Koch, longicollum Wendelbo, longipapillatum R.M. Fritsch & Matin, machmelianum Post, macrochaetum Boiss. & Hausskn., mareoticum Bornm. & Gauba, margaritiferum Vved., melananthum Coincy, melitense (Sommier & Caruana ex Borg) Cif. & Giacom., multiflorum Desf., nathaliae Seregin, nevsehirense Koyuncu & Kollmann, notabile Feinbrun, oltense Grossh., pardoi Loscos, pervariensis Firat & al., pervestitum Klokov, phanerantherum Boiss. & Hausskn. (ssp. deciduum Kollmann & Koyuncu, ssp. involucratum Ekşi & al.), pruinatum Link ex Spreng., pustulosum Boiss. & Hausskn., polyanthum Schult. & Schult.f., ponticum Miscz. ex Grossh. & Grossh., proponticum Stearn & Özhatay (ssp. proponticum, ssp. parviflorum (Kollmann) Koyuncu), pseudoampeloprasum Miscz. ex Grossh., pseudocalyptratum Mouterde, pseudophanerantherum Rech.f., pyrenaicum Costa & Vayr., regelianum A.K. Becker ex Iljin, reuterianum Boiss., robertianum Kollmann, rollovii Grossh., rotundum L., rubrovittatum Boiss. & Heldr., sandrasicum Kollmann, Özhatay & Bothmer, sannineum Gomb., sativum L., scaberrimum M. Serres, scabriflorum Boiss., scorodoprasum L., sinaiticum Boiss., sintenisii Freyn, synnotii G. Don, sphaerocephalon L.(ssp. sphaerocephalon, ssp. arvense (Guss.) Arcang., ssp. laxiflorum (Guss.) Giardina & Raimondo, ssp. trachypus (Boiss. & Spruner) K. Richt.), stearnianum Koyuncu, Özhatay & Kollmann (ssp. stearnianum, ssp. vanense Kollmann & Koyuncu), stylosum O. Schwarz, subnotabile Wendelbo, talijevii Klokov, talyschense Miscz. ex Grossh., trachycoleum Wendelbo, truncatum (Feinbrun) Kollmann & D. Zohary, tuncelianum (Kollmann) Özhatay, B. Mathew & Siraneci, ugami Vved., valentinae Pavlov, vineale L., waldsteinii G. Don f., wendelboi Matin, willeanum Holmboe.

Section 2. Brivedentia F.O. Khass. & Yengal. in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 147 (1996) (12 species, 2 subsp.). Typus: Allium brevidens Vved.

brevidens Vved.(ssp. brevidens, ssp. pshikharvicum R.M. Fritsch & F.O. Khass.), chirchikense ined., circumflexum Wendelbo, freitagii ined., hedgei Wendelbo, ionandrum Wendelbo, michaelis F.O. Khass. & Tojibaev, micranthum Wendelbo, miserabile Wendelbo, nikolai F.O. Khass. & Achilova, ophiophyllum Vved., turcomanicum Regel.

Section 3. Crystallina F.O. Khass. & Yengal.  in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 147 (1996). (2 species). Typus: Allium crystallinum Vved.

crystallinum Vved., brevidentiforme Vved.

Section 4. Multicaulia F.O. Khass. & Yengal. in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 148 (1996). (6 species). Typus: Allium borszczowii Regel.

boissieri Regel, borszczowii Regel, ferganicum Vved., lehmannianum Merckl. ex Bunge, rinae F.O. Khass., Shomur. & Tojibaev, oxianum F.O. Khass. & Tojibaev.

Section 5. Unicaulia F.O. Khass. in Stapfia 95: 174 (2011). (3 species).Typus: Allium kotschyi Boiss.

kotschyi Boiss., ravenii F.O. Khass., Shomur. & Kadyrov, sosnovskyanum Miscz. ex Grossh.

Section 6. Spathulata F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch in O.A. Ashurmetov & al. (eds.), Plant. Life in South-West. and Central Asia: Vth Internat. Symp. Tashkent 1998 109 (2000) (2 species). Typus: Allium spathulatum F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch.

spathulatum F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch, formosum Sennikov & Lazkov.

Section 7. Mediasia F.O. Khass., Yengal. & N. Friesen in Aliso 22: 389 (2006) (2 species). Typus: Allium turkestanicum Regel.

turkestanicum Regel, yuchuanense Y.Z. Zhao & J.Y. Chao.

Section 8. Avulsa F.O. Khass. in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 149 (1996) (15 species). Typus: Allium griffithianum Boiss.

bracteolatum Wendelbo,? bungei Boiss.,? chloroneurum Boiss., choriotepalum Wendelbo, fibrosum Regel, griffithiamum Boiss., jacquemontii Kunth, lamondiae Wendelbo, leucosphaerum Aitch. & Baker, oshense ined., pamiricum Wendelbo, panjaoense Wendelbo, rubellum M. Bieb., sabzakense Wendelbo, umbilicatum Boiss.

Section 9. Brevispatha Valsecchi in Giorn. Bot. Ital. 108(1–2): 92 (1974) (15 species and 2 subspecies). Typus: Allium parciflorum Viv.

antonii-bolosii P. Palau (ssp.antonii-bolosii ssp. eivissanum (Garbari & Miceli) N. Torres & Rosselló), azaurenum Gomb., balansae Boiss., callidyction C.A. Mey. ex Kunth, callimischon Link (ssp. callimischon, ssp. haemostictum Stearn), cupani Raf., inops Vved., kirindicum Bornm., kollmannianum Brullo, Pavone & Salmeri, lojaconoi Brullo, Lanfr. & Pavone, margaritae B. Fedtsch., pentadactyli Brullo, Pavone & Spamp, peroninianum Azn., ritsi Iatroú & Tzanoud., sindjarense Boiss. & Hausskn. ex Regel.

Section 10. Coerulea (Tzagolova) F.O. Khass. in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 150 (1996) (19 species and 2 subspecies). Typus: Allium coeruleum Pall.

aemulans Pavlov, coeruleum Pall., caesioides Wendelbo, caesium Schrenk, delicatulum Siev. ex Schult. & Schult., elegans Drobow, eremoprasum Vved., gillii Wendelbo, glomeratum Prokh., lasiophyllum Vved., montelburzense R.M. Fritsch, Salmaki & Zarre, najafdaricum R.M. Fritsch, oreophiloides Regel (ssp. oreophiloides, ssp. salangense Wendelbo), renardii Regel, scharobitdinii F.O. Khass. & Tojibaev, svetlanae Vved. ex Filim., taciturnum Vved., tatyanae F.O. Khass. & F. Karimov, zaissanicum Kotukhov.

Section 11. Eremoprasum (Kamelin) F.O. Khass., R.M. Fritsch & N. Friesen in Aliso 22: 389 (2006) (8 species). Typus: Allium sabulosum Stev. ex Bunge.

confragosum Vved., incrustatum Vved., jaxarticum Vved., joharchii F.O. Khass. & Memariani, popovii Vved., sabulosum Steven ex Bunge, scrobiculatum Vved., transvestiens Vved.

Section 12. Kopetdagia F.O. Khass. in M.A. Öztürk, Ö. Seçmen & G. Görk (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia 1: 150 (1996) (3 species). Typus: Allium kopetdagense Vved.

kopetdagense Vved. in B. Fedtsch. & al., spirophyllum Wendelbo, stocksianum Boiss.

Section 13. Longivaginata (Kamelin) F.O. Khass., R.M. Fritsch & N. Friesen in Aliso 22: 389 (2006) (6 species). Typus: Allium longivaginatum Wendelbo.

arlgirdense Blakelock, autumniflorum F.O. Khass. & Akhani, dolichovaginatum R.M. Fritsch, jaegeri R.M. Fritsch, longivaginatum Wendelbo, petri F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch.

Section 14. Minuta F.O. Khass. in Öztürk, Seçmen & Gork (eds.), Plant Life in South-West and Central Asia: 150 (1996) (7 species). Type: Allium minutum Vved.

aktauense F.O. Khass. & Esankulov, anisotepalum Vved., minutum Vved., namanganicum ined., orunbaii F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch, parvulum Vved., registanicum Wendelbo.

Section 2.15. Pallasia (Tzagolova) F.O. Khass. in Sennikov: Flora of Uzbekistan. Vol. 1 Amaryllidaceae: 83 (2016). (11 species). Typus: Allium pallasii Murr.

anacoleum Hand.-Mazz., capitellatum Boiss., eusperma Airy Shaw, grisellum J.M. Xu, lalesaricum Freyn & Bornm., maowenense J.M. Xu, pallasii Murray, sairamense Regel, schoenoprasoides Regel, songpanicum J.M. Xu, tuchalense F.O. Khass. & Noroozi.

Section 16. Rechingeria F.O. Khass. & Tirkash. in Stapfia 99: 214 (2013) (monotypic). Typus: Allium rechingerii Wendelbo.

Section 17. Codonoprasum Rchb., Flora Germanica Excursoria. Carolum Cnobloch, Lipsiae: 878 (1830) (137 species and nine subspecies). Typus: Allium oleraceum L.

achaium Boiss. & Orph. ex Boiss., aegilicum Tzanoud., aeginiense Brullo & al., aetnense Brullo & al., agrigentinum Brullo & Pavone, albotunicatum O. Schwarz (ssp. albotunicatum, ssp. hermaneum Kollmann & Shmida), antiatlanticum Emb. & Maire, anzalonei Brullo & al., apergii Trigas & al., apolloniensis Biel, Kit Tan & Tzanoud., apulum Brullo & al., archeotrichon Brullo & al., ? autumnale P.H. Davis, balcanicum Brullo & al., bassitense J. Thiébaut, bingoelense Yild. & Kılıç, birkinshawii Mouterde, brachyspathum Brullo & al., brevicaule Boiss. & Balansa, brulloi Salmeri, brussalisii Tzanoud. & Kypr., calabrum (N. Terracc.) Brullo & al., candargyi Karavok. & Tzanoud., carinatum L., castellanense (Garbari & al.) Brullo & al., cephalonicum Brullo & al., chloranthum Boiss., convallarioides Grossh., corsicum Jauzein & al., croaticum Bogdanovic & al., cyprium Brullo & al.(ssp. cyprium, ssp. lefkarense (Brullo & al.) Christodoulou & Hand), daninianum Brullo & al., decaisnei C. Presl, deciduum Özhatay & Kollmann (ssp. deciduum, ssp. retrorsum Özhatay & Kollmann), desertorum Forssk., diomedeum Brullo & al., dirphianum Brullo & al., djimilense Boiss. ex Regel, dodecanesi Karavok. & Tzanoud., ekeri E. Kaya & Koçyiğit, euboicum Rech.f., exaltatum (Meikle) Brullo & al., exile Boiss. & Orph., favosum Zahar., flavum L. (ssp. flavum, ssp. ionochlorum Maire, ssp. tauricum (Besser ex Rchb.) K. Richt.), flexuosum d’Urv., fuscum Waldst. & Kit., galileum Brullo & al., garbarii Peruzzi, garganicum Brullo & al., glumaceum Boiss. & Hausskn. ex Boiss., greuteri Brullo & Pavone, guicciardii Heldr., hirtovaginatum Kunth, hirtovaginum Candargy, huber-morathii Kollmann, Özhatay & Koyuncu, hymettium Boiss. & Heldr., ionicum Brullo & Tzanoud., julianum Brullo & al., karistanum Brullo & al., kastambulense Kollmann, kossoricum Fomin, kunthianum Vved., kurtzianum Asch. & Sint. ex Kollmann, kyrenium Giusso & al., lazikkiyense Koçyiğit & al., lehmannii Lojac., lenkoranicum Miscz. ex Grossh., liliputianum Koçyiğit & al., litardierei J.-M. Tison, longispathum F. Delaroche, lopadusanum Bartolo & al., luteolum Halácsy, macedonicum Zahar., maghrebinum Brullo & al., makrianumBrullo & al., maraschicum Koçyiğit & Özhatay, marathasicum Brullo & al., marginatum Janka, mauritanicum Brullo & al., meikleanum Brullo & al., melanantherum Pancic, microspathum Ekberg, myrianthum Boiss., nebrodense Guss., occultum Tzanoud. & Trigas, oleraceum L., olympicum Boiss., opacum Rech.f., oporinanthum Brullo & al., optimae Greuter, orestis Kalpoutz. & al., paczoskianum Tuzs., pallens L., paniculatum L., panormitanum Brullo & al., pelagicum Brullo & al., perpendiculum Koçyiğit & al., phalereum Heldr. & Sart., phitosianum Brullo & al., phrygium Boiss. & Balansa, pictistamineum O. Schwarz, pilosum Sm., platakisii Tzanoud. & Kypr., podolicum Blocki ex Racib. & Szafer, pseudoflavum Vved., pseudostamineum Kollmann & Shmida, rausii Brullo & al., retrorsum (Özhatay & Kollmann) Brullo & al., rhodopeum Velen., rumelicum Koçyiğit & Özhatay, rupestre Steven, rupicola Boiss. ex Mouterde, samniticum Brullo & al., samothracicum Tzanoud. & al., savii Parl., schergianum Boiss., sibthorpianum Schult. & Schult.f., sipyleum Boiss., stamineum Boiss., staticiforme Sm., tardans Greuter & Zahar., tardiflorum Kollmann & Shmida, tauricola Boiss., tauricum Pall. ex G. Don f., telmatum Bogdanovic & al., tenuiflorum Ten., therinanthum Brullo & al., tingitanum Brullo & al., trichocnemis J. Gay, turcicum Özhatay & Cowley, tzanoudakisanum Brullo & al., valdecallosum Maire & Weiller, valdesianum Brullo & al, variegatum Boiss., vescum Wendelbo, weissii Boiss., wiedemannianum Regel, yildirimlii Dural.

Section 2.18. Haneltia F.O. Khass. in Stapfia 95: 174 (2011) (monotypic). Typus: Allium haneltii F.O. Khass. & R.M. Fritsch.

2.4 Ethnobotanical Aspects of Wild Allium Species from Middle Asia

More than 250 different Allium species are reported for the mountainous regions of Middle and South-West Asia (Khassanov 1997). The use of especially tasteful and curative wild Alliums has a long tradition in several Middle Asian populations with apparently deep historical roots. This might be illustrated by the fact that people living in the countryside (especially mountainous villages), as well as urban areas, do have a long standing tradition how to prepare special dishes from particular Allium plants. The economically most important Allium crop species (common onion and garlic) are worldwide used as spices, vegetables and medicinal plants. Traditionally, they play a very important role in the daily diet. However, there are also more than 80 endemic species in the mountainous regions in Middle Asia and therefore information about the use of these species by local population could be very important. During the PharmAl Project (2002–2006) funded by Volkswagen Stiftung, about 860 Allium samples were collected, around 20 new species were identified, and 36 wild Allium species were reported as edible ones in Uzbekistan (Khassanov 2007). First of all, local people are gathering and cultivating wild relative onion species like Allium oschaninii O. Fedtsch., Allium praemixtum Vved. and Allium pskemense B. Fedtsch. Therefore, populations of these species became rare and are currently included in the Red Data Book of Uzbekistan (Khassanov 2016a). The ancestral species of garlic Allium longicuspis Regel is naturally growing in the mountainous zone nearby the settlements but is normally not used, but the domesticated species A. sativum is cultivated in every private garden. Section Allium s. l. is also widely occurring in Uzbekistan and 21 species are known from this section growing in Uzbekistan (Khassanov 2016b). These species are used by the local population as a garlic substitute. Another group of important edible wild Alliums belong to subgenus Melanocrommyum and are represented by several species. One of the most interesting wild species from a pharmaceutical point of view is Allium tschimganicum B. Fedtsch (Fig. 2.3) = Allium motor Kamelin & Levichev (motor, moy-modor—in Tadzhik language means “health”). The natural distribution area of this rather tall species is rather small, comprising only the Chatkal mountain range in Uzbekistan and adjacent Kyrgyz and Kazakh territories.

Fig. 2.3

Umbel of Allium tschimganicum B. Fedtsch

Here it grows on shady slopes among bushes and is easily recognized by a smooth, thin, and quickly decaying sheath leaf. The leaves are much collected in April–May. They are freshly used as stuffing for a special variant of the national pie dish “somsa”, which is highly esteemed for a specific activity as a stimulant. However, for persons having high blood pressure, the consumption is less advisable (Umarov 1992). The use of A. tschimganicum became known among people living in the Kirgiz territory of Chatkal mountain range during the 1970s, first in the Parkent area of Uzbekistan (Umarov 1992). Today this species is also much collected for consumption and has become rare in some areas. One of the main characters of the species is a reddish liquid coming out of the damaged tissue of freshly plucked leaves. Another species of pharmaceutical interest is Allium rosenorum R.M. Fritsch (Fig. 2.4), which is naturally growing in the shade under shrubs and trees in the Pamir-Alay mountainous system (mainly Hissar range) in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Fig. 2.4

Umbel of Allium rosenorum R.M. Fritsch

Fresh and dried young leaves are also used for the national soup dish “‘atolla”, which is much esteemed as an appetizer and general stimulant in Central Tajikistan (Keusgen et al. 2004, 2006).

2.5 Ornamental Wild Allium Species from Middle Asia

This list of ornamental Allium species and cultivars consists of around 250 species, 20 hybrids/intraspecific taxa and 240 cultivars. Most of the species of these genetic resources occur mainly in two subgenera namely Allium and Melanocrommyum. The list was compiled using recently published catalogues (Fritsch 2015; http://www.ipk-gatersleben.de/gbisipk-gaterslebendegbis-i/spezialsammlungen/allium-review), which were analysed for ornamental value. Species and cultivars solely offered as a vegetable, spice or medical plant were ignored, but those with a dual purpose including ornamental characters were accepted. Many members of subgenus Melanocrommyum are cultivated as ornamentals in European and North American gardens (Fritsch 2015). Most of these species occur naturally in South-west and Middle Asia where they are collected in nature and used as vegetable, spice and medicinal plants by the local people. The most cultivated species are Allium cristophii Trautv., Allium stipitatum Regel, Allium altissimum Regel, Allium aflatunense, Allium giganteum Regel and Allium hollandicum R.M. Fritsch. The latter species was described as a new species formed in the process of many years of cultivation. Furthermore new ornamental Allium species could be identified in Middle Asia, for example, Allium backhousianum Regel (Fig. 2.5) = Allium gulczense B. Fedtsch. ex O. Fedtsch. growing naturally in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (Alay and Fergan ranges).

Fig. 2.5

Umbel of Allium backhousianum Regel

The plants can grow up to 2 m tall, have very beautiful multi-flowered umbels (10–15 cm in diameter) and could be successfully cultivated in regions with a humid climate. Another two rare endemic species which have ornamental value, Allium majus Vved., Allium isakulii R.M. Fritsch & F.O. Khass (Fig. 2.6), and can be cultivated in the countries with an arid climate in the pre-mountainous zone. The latter Allium species has the largest umbel within all wild Alliums (20–40 cm in diameter) and its pedicels and tepals remain straight-up after drying and do not drop or twist after many years.

Fig. 2.6

Umbel of Allium isakulii R.M. Fritsch & F.O. Khass