Aliaceae

Aliaceae, sometimes spelled Alliaceae, is a group of flowering plants long treated as a distinct family. In contemporary taxonomy, it is usually included as Allioideae, a subfamily of Amaryllidaceae, by the APG system and its successors. The core genus is Allium, which includes familiar crops such as onion (Allium cepa), garlic (A. sativum), leek (A. ampeloprasum), shallot (A. ascalonicum), and chives (A. schoenoprasum).

Plants are herbaceous perennials with one or more underground bulbs. Leaves are generally slender and hollow with linear blades. Flowers form in umbels; there are six tepals, six stamens, and an inferior ovary. Many produce sulfur-containing compounds that give characteristic odors.

Most species are native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with many cultivated and naturalized worldwide. Besides Allium, past arrangements placed other genera such as Nectaroscordum and Milula within Alliaceae; modern molecular data typically place these within Allium.

Economic importance stems from culinary and medicinal uses; alliums are widely grown as vegetables, seasonings, and ornamentals. The name Aliaceae is now largely historical, and the group is routinely treated as Allioideae within Amaryllidaceae. Etymology derives from Allium, the type genus.