Allium neapolitanum explained

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.

Its native range extends across the Mediterranean Region from Portugal to the Levant.^{[1] [2]} The species is cultivated as an ornamental and has become naturalized in many areas, including Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and in southern and western parts of the United States. It is classed as an invasive species in parts of the U.S.,^[3] and is found primarily in the U.S. states of California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.^{[4] [5]}

Allium neapolitanum produces round bulbs up to 2cm (01inches) across. The scape is up to 25cm (10inches) tall, round in cross-section but sometimes with wings toward the bottom. The inflorescence is an umbel of up to 25 white flowers with yellow anthers.^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}

Allium neapolitanum seems to have beta-adrenergic antagonist properties.^[8]

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do;jsessionid=6ACD213738988E637EEC4C4C809A078C?name_id=296083 Kew Botanical Gardens, World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium neapolitanum Cirillo
2. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=allium+neapolitanum Altervista Flora Italiana, Allium neapolitanum
3. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ALNE3 United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile
4. Web site: Allium flower, Allium neapolitanum . 2010-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100329145237/http://www.alliumflower.net/allium_neapolitanum/allium_neapolitanum.html . 2010-03-29 . dead .
5. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101377 Flora of North America v 26 p 257 Allium neapolitanum
6. Cirillo, Domenico Maria Leone. 1788. Plantarum Rariorum Regni Neapolitani 1: 13.
7. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8349,8354,8396 Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
8. Nencini C, Franchi GG, Micheli L. June 2010. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 61. 4. 433–9. Cardiovascular receptor binding affinity of aqueous extracts from Allium species. 20446820. 10.3109/09637481003591608. 41881100.