Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Amaryllidaceae Rank Species | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Subfamily Allioideae | |
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Similar Allium narcissiflorum, Allium ericetorum, Allium nebrodense, Allium moschatum, Allium cyaneum | ||
Allium insubricum is a plant species endemic to the Lombardy region in northern Italy. It is named for Insubria, the ancient name for the area around present-day Milan. The species is, however, widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its strikingly beautiful flowers.
Allium insubricum is a perennial herb up to 25 cm tall. It has flat, linear leaves up to 10 mm across, tapering toward the tip. Scape is hooked at the top, so that the umbel as a whole is nodding (hanging downward). Flowers are few, usually no more than 5 per umbel, but much larger than most other species in the genus. Tepals are rosy pink.
Allium narcissiflorum is very similar to A. insubricum but found at higher elevation in the mountains. In A. insubricum, the umbel is nodding (hanging downward) at flowering time and remaining nodding when the seeds are mature. In A. narcissiflorum, however, the umbel is nodding at flowering time but erect at maturity.