Family - Liliaceae

Stems - No info. yet.

Bulb with papery coating.

Bulb with coating removed. Arrows show the flat-sided propogative bulblets.

Leaves - No info. yet.

Apex of leaf sheath.

Inflorescence - No info. yet.

Flowers - No info. yet.

Bulblets of the inflorescence.

Flowers.

Flowering - May - July.

Habitat - Disturbed sites, margins of mesic and upland forests, pastures, cultivated fields, roadsides, railroads.

Origin - Native to Europe and Asia.

Other info. - This weedy species can be found throughout nearly all of Missouri and is quite common. The plant is a pest in agricultural fields and can also be a source of poor tasting milk when eaten by cattle. The plant can be identified in the field by the following characteristics:
Tubular leaves which occur along the flowering stem.
Flat sided propogative bulblets arising from the main underground bulb.
Flowers being completely or partially replaced by bulblets.
Lilac, tubular flowers, when present.
During the early spring this plant is seen as a mass of thin, bright green, tubular leaves about 20cm tall. Later in the season a few main stalks will become large and flower. The bulblets of the inflorescence will often sprout while still on the plant as in the first picture above.
The bulbs of A. vineale are edible and have a strong garlic flavor.

Photographs taken off Providence Rd., Columbia, MO., 5-29-04.