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Urophyllon caudatum (Aiton) Salisb.
Gen. Pl. [Salisbury] 36 1866. [Apr-May 1866]
Family: HYACINTHACEAE

= Ornithogalum caudatum Aiton
Hort. Kew. [W. Aiton] 1: 442 1789. Aiton

Accepted Scientific Name: Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
Taxon 58: 93 2009.

Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
False Sea Onionis This is a rather curious bulbous plant and unlike an true onion however, the bulb grows above ground, reaching up to 10 cm in diameter. Incidentally, the “onions” are decidedly NON-edible!

Synonyms:

See all synonyms of Albuca bracteata
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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
Taxon 58: 93 2009.
Synonymy: 14
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: German Onion, False Sea Onion, Pregnant Onion, Pregnant Onion Seeds, Sea Onion, Long-spiked Star of Bethlehem
CZECH (Čeština): Snědek ocasatý
RUSSIAN (Русский): Альбука прицветниковая
SPANISH (Español): falsa cebolla de mar

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Albuca bracteata group

  • Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt: has green opalescent, exposed bulb with curious little bulblets, causing 'pregnant' looking bumps until the layer sloughs off to reveal the bulblets. Distribution: Suoth Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, and widespread northwards into tropical East Africa.
  • Ornithogalum caudatum Aiton: same as Albuca bracteata? distribution. Suoth Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, and widespread northwards into tropical East Africa.
  • Ornithogalum caudatum f. compact Kowie River: Compact form. Distribution: Kowie River.


11563 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
11561 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
The pregnant part is owed to its strange distinction of producing babies on the bulb scales. (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

11560 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
19439 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

18085 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
11562 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Urophyllon caudatum (Ornithogalum caudatum) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli


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