Nothoscordum borbonicum – Onion weed.
Family Amaryllidaceae s.l. > Subfamily Allioideae > Tribe Allieae.
One of a number of plants commonly known as onion weed.
It grows from a bulb that produces many small bulblets.
The long, dark green, basal leaves are strap-like.
Leafless, unbranched, cylindrical inflorescence stalks can be up to 1 m high.
Developing flowers are protected by white, papery bracts.
Up to about 12 flowers, on stalks, are held in an upright position.
The bell-shaped perianth consists of 6 similar tepals in 2 whorls of 3.
They are white and sometimes have a faint pink tinge.
The midvein is green or a reddish-green.
There are 6 stamens and a superior ovary with a single style.
The fruit capsule matures from green to brown and holds black seeds.
Other plants seen in Queensland and known as onion weeds include:
Allium triquetrum has flat leaves, white flowers with a green stripe but the inflorescence
stalk is triangular in cross section and the flowers droop.
Allium vineale has tubular leaves and white, green or pink flowers that do not have a stripe.
The Allium species also have an oniony smell when the leaves and bulbs are damaged.
J.F.
