Allium humile

Allium humile Kunth, Enum. Pl. 4: 442 1843. (syn: Allium govanianum Wall. ex Baker; Allium gowanianum Wall. ex Baker; Allium nivale Jacquem. ex Regel [Invalid]; Allium nivale Jacquem. ex Hook. f. & Thomson);

Common name: Small Alpine Onion, Ornamental Allium

Allium humile : Attachments (1). 2 posts by 2 authors.

Allium humile Kunth, Enum. Pl. 4: 443. 1843.

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Location: Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh

Nice photos thanks for sharing the picture of very less known Allium species from India

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Fwd: Allium humile in H.P. : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (1)

Here with a single image of what I understand to be Allium humile photographed towards the end of May 2011 by the late Krishan Lal – he did not specify altitude or location but must have been somewhere in H.P.

Flowers of the Himalaya says this is found on open slopes @ 3-4000m from Pakistan to W.Nepal having white, star-shaped flowers in rather lax umbels.

Stewart knew this to be common in Kashmir @ 2400-3900m so rather surprising the only image on eFI should be from H.P. Known as A. govanianum in FBI.

Found north of Krishensar during 1983 Kashmir Botanical Expedition. Recorded from Gulmarg, Thajews, and Vishensar by various botanical tours in Kashmir. ‘Plants of Gulmarg’ (1984) record it from Gulmarg to Aphawat.

Flora of Lahaul-Spiti record it as frequent on alpine slopes and pastures on Rohtang but unless this was Lahaoul-side of the pass, should not have been included in the flora. However, as this species (albeit under the name A.govanianum) was found by Koelz in Lahaul in the 1930s, this seems a valid record for the region.

In Lahaul it was, at that time, used medicinally and as onions for flavouring.

Not recorded in Ladakh by Dickore & Klimes but known from Dras Valley (and also Baltal at bottom of Zoji La).

It was said to be a “less known” Allium species from India but clearly in common in Kashmir & H.P. Alliums have often been neglected in botanical (pressed specimen) collections and photographically.
PLEASE WOULD PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THIS GROUP MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT WITH THIS NEGLECTED GENUS.