Allium (onions, garlic; family Liliaceae) A genus of bulbous herbs, all of which contain oils with a pungent onion or garlic odour. The leaves are undivided, parallel-veined, and all radical. The flowers are borne in umbels enclosed at first in a spathe, which later splits. The perianth consists of 6 free, equal segments, and 6 stamens. Bulbils often partly replace the flowers. The fruit is a 3-celled capsule. Many species are cultivated as vegetables or for their flowers. There are about 700 species found in the north temperate zone, south to Mexico and Ethiopia.

al·li·um / ˈalēəm/ • n. (pl. alliums) a bulbous plant (genus Allium) of the lily family that includes the onion and its relatives (e.g., garlic and chives).

allium See onion