Allium gracile Dryander in W. Aiton, Hort. Kew. 1: 429. 1789; A. fragrans Ventenat; Nothoscordum fragrans (Ventenat) Kunth

Bulbs ovoid, ca. 1.5 cm diam.; outer coats brown; bulblets 10–20+. Scapes 1–2, terete, 30–60 cm × 2–3 mm. Leaves 2–9, sheaths enveloping neck of bulb, hyaline, reduced apically; blade linear, 20–40(–50) cm × 4–12 mm, margins entire. Umbel 10–20-flowered, often asymmetrical, to 5 cm diam.; bracts persistent, 2, 1.2–2 cm × 5–8 mm, bases fused, imbricate, margins scarious. Flowers fragrant; tepals white adaxially with pink midvein and greenish bases, oblanceolate, 9–15 × 4 mm, apex obtuse; filaments simple, adnate to tepals, 7–10 mm; anthers dark brown; ovary crestless; style persistent in fruit, ± equaling stamens; stigma unlobed, equaling perianth; pedicel erect to spreading, 2–6 cm, unequal. Capsules obovoid, ca. 6–7 × 6–7 mm. Seeds 8–12 per locule.

Flowering Mar--Dec. Roadsides, waste places; 0--100 m; introduced; Ala., Calif., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., S.C.; South America.

There is considerable controversy over the correct epithet. Based on the information available, the authors feel that Nothoscordum borbonicum Kunth is a misapplied name and that the correct name is Nothoscordum gracile.

In the flora area, Nothoscordum gracile is an escape from cultivation.

SELECTED REFERENCES

Ravenna, P. 1991. Nothoscordum gracile and N. borbonicum (Alliaceae). Taxon 40: 485–487. Small, J. K. 1928. Nothoscordum fragrans. Addisonia 33: plate 433. Stearn, W. T. 1986. Nothoscordum gracile, the correct name of N. fragrans and N. inodorum of authors (Alliaceae). Taxon 35: 335–338.