Leek

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Leek
• Wild Leek
• Broadleaf Wild Leek
• Great-headed Garlic
• Levant Garlic
• garden leek

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Allium ampeloprasum var. pylium
• Allium gasparrinii
• Allium ampeloprasum var. gasparrinii
• Allium porrum var. kurrat
• Porrum amethystinum
• Allium laetum var. tonsile
• Allium ampeloprasum var. bulgaricum
• Allium ampeloprasum var. bertolonii
• Allium ampeloprasum var. caudatum
• Allium thessalum
• Allium ampeloprasum var. gracile
• Allium porrum subsp. euampeloprasum
• Allium syriacum
• Allium ampeloprasum subsp. thessalum
• Allium scopulicola
• Allium ampeloprasum subsp. halleri
• Allium scorodoprasum subsp. babingtonii
• Allium spectabile
• Porrum ampeloprasum
• Allium pylium
• Allium porraceum
• Allium porrum var. ampeloprasum
• Allium kurrat
• Allium holmense
• Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii
• Allium ampeloprasum var. bulbiferum
• Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense
• Allium ampeloprasum f. holmense
• Allium albescens
• Allium adscendens
• Allium ascendens
• Allium ampeloprasum var. wiedemannii
• Allium babingtonii
• Allium bertolonii
• Allium byzantinum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and order Asparagales, it is further categorized under the family Amaryllidaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Allium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several major regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is noted within the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the center of the continent, it can be found throughout Middle Europe, specifically in Germany and the Czechia-Slovakia region. Furthermore, its range extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the Baleares. These varied locations demonstrate the plant's ability to adapt to different European climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Allium ampeloprasum is characterized by its ability to thrive across a vast altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1200 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 2600 m AMSL. This species is frequently found colonizing anthropogenic environments, specifically within crop fields, where it integrates into agricultural landscapes. Its distribution reflects a versatile adaptability to varying topographical heights and disturbed soil conditions typical of cultivated lands.

Elevational range max:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields

Life history

The life history of Allium ampeloprasum is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. Functioning as a cryptophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by protecting its regenerative organs underground. Specifically, its life form is classified as a geophyte, utilizing specialized underground storage organs to ensure long-term survival and regrowth.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Allium ampeloprasum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, maintaining an upright stature without the need for external support. The plant is strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of physical dimensions, it typically reaches a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.2 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Allium ampeloprasum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The vegetative structures consist of linear leaves that exhibit significant morphological variation in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a maximum of 80 cm. These leaves are relatively narrow, maintaining a width between 0.3 cm and 4 cm. From a structural standpoint, the plant is non-succulent, lacking the specialized water-storing tissues found in succulent species, and it is strictly non-carnivorous, relying on standard autotrophic nutrient acquisition rather than the capture of prey.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf length max:

80 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

0.3 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Allium ampeloprasum is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers that typically exhibit a pink color. The flowering period generally begins in June and concludes in August. These flowers vary in size, with lengths ranging from 0.35 cm to 0.55 cm. Pollination is primarily a biotic process mediated by insects. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, ensuring genetic diversity through cross-pollination. Following fertilization, the plant produces fruit in the form of a dehiscent capsule. These capsules are relatively small, with a length ranging from 0.3 cm to 0.55 cm and a width between 0.3 cm and 0.5 cm. Each fruit contains a significant number of seeds, typically ranging from 11 to 100 per fruit. The seeds themselves are quite lightweight, with a mean mass of 0.002835 g, though they range from a minimum of 0.00203 g to a maximum of 0.0036 g. Dispersal of the seeds occurs through both anemochorous (wind) and anthropochorous (human-mediated) syndromes. Asexual reproduction is absent in this plant, making its reproductive cycle entirely dependent on its sexual mechanisms.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

0.55 cm

Flower length min:

0.35 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

0.55 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.5 cm

Fruit width min:

0.3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.0036 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002835 g

Seed mass min:

0.00203 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Allium ampeloprasum has 107 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ascorbic acid, 1-O-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucose, 4-hydroxy proline, Alcohol dehydrogenase, Alliin.

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

1-O-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucose

1. Dr. Duke

4-hydroxy proline

1. Dr. Duke

Alcohol dehydrogenase

1. Dr. Duke

Alliin

1. Dr. Duke

Allithiamine

1. Dr. Duke

Allyl monosulfide

1. Dr. Duke

Allyl sulfide

1. Dr. Duke

Aluminum phosphate

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Allium ampeloprasum has 516 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmacopuncture

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acantholytic

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Allium ampeloprasum has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antibiotic resistance, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, febrile neutropenia, free radical.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations