chives

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• chives
• wild chives
• giant garlic
• Spanish garlic
• cives

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Allium sibiricum var. schoenoprasoides
• Porrum sibiricum
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. sibiricum
• Allium sibiricum schoenoprasoides
• Allium schoenoprasum f. vegetior
• Allium idzuense
• Allium punctulatum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. lusitanicum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. riparium
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. alpinum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. broteri
• Allium schoenoprasum var. alpinum
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. pumilum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. pumilum
• Allium gredense
• Allium schmitzii var. duriminum
• Allium foliosum
• Allium ubinicum
• Allium schoenoprasum f. purpuratum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. schoenoprasioides
• Schoenoprasum vulgare
• Porrum schoenoprasum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. alpinum
• Allium riparium
• Allium schoenoprasum var. albidum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. buhseanum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. brevispathum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. caespitans
• Allium schoenoprasum var. duriminum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. foliosum
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. gredense
• Allium schoenoprasum var. idzuense
• Allium schoenoprasum var. albiflorum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. latiorifolium
• Allium schoenoprasum var. litorale
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. latiorifolium
• Cepa schoenoprasa
• Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum
• Cepa tenuifolia
• Allium schoenoprasum var. vulgare
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. orosiae
• Allium schoenoprasum var. laurentianum
• Allium schoenoprasum subsp. riparium
• Ascalonicum schoenoprasum
• Allium scorodoprasum var. alvarense
• Allium sibiricum
• Allium raddeanum
• Allium purpurascens
• Allium palustre
• Allium udinicum
• Allium alpinum
• Allium acutum
• Allium broteri
• Allium buhseanum
• Allium schoenoprasum f. sibiricum
• Allium schoenoprasum f. pumilum
• Allium schoenoprasum var. gredense
• Allium schoenoprasum var. alvarense
• Allium schoenoprasum var. tangoense

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Asparagales and the family Amaryllidaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Allium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Allium schoenoprasum, exhibits a specific presence across several regions of Northern Europe. Its natural distribution includes the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Furthermore, it can be found growing within the territories of Finland. The species also extends its range to include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical reach continues northward into the landscape of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Allium schoenoprasum is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse topographical and environmental settings, ranging from sea level to high-altitude environments. It is commonly found colonizing various landscapes, including meadows, mountains, riverbanks, and stony places, which highlights its ability to thrive in both moist and well-drained substrates. The plant exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, with an elevational range spanning from 0 m AMSL to a maximum of 500 m AMSL in certain localized contexts, though it maintains a much higher presence in montane regions with a mean elevational range of approximately 2600 m AMSL. This wide distribution across different elevations and habitats allows it to occupy various ecological niches, from riparian zones to rugged, rocky terrains.

Elevational range max:

500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

meadows, mountains, rivers, stony places

Life history

The life history of Allium schoenoprasum is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. It functions as a geophyte, a life form where the plant survives unfavorable conditions through specialized underground storage organs. Within the broader classification of its survival strategy, it is categorized as a cryptophyte, meaning its vital buds are protected below the soil surface. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its above-ground foliage during dormant periods to conserve energy and resources.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Allium schoenoprasum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting organism that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, as it is an independent species. It is a terrestrial plant, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height that ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.6 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.32 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height mean:

0.32 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Allium schoenoprasum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and environmental adaptations. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on traditional soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Morphologically, its foliage is defined by a mean leaf size of 5.56 cm², a metric that contributes to its overall surface area for gas exchange and light interception. Furthermore, the plant possesses a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 88.5 cm²/g, reflecting the structural efficiency and resource allocation strategy of its leaf tissues in relation to its biomass.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

5.56 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

88.5 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Allium schoenoprasum is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being noted as absent. The flowering period typically begins in May and extends through August. The pollination process is biotic, relying primarily on insects, with a specific emphasis on bees as key pollinators. Within its reproductive cycle, self-fertilization is absent, necessitating these biotic vectors for successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule, which is dehiscent, meaning it opens at maturity to release its seeds. The seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of 0.0009065 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00073 g to a maximum of 0.00107 g. For dispersal, the plant utilizes an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00107 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0009065 g

Seed mass min:

0.00073 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Allium schoenoprasum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Allium schoenoprasum has 91 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include galactose, glucose, 1-O-feruloyl-beta-D-glucose, 1-o-p-coumaroyl-beta-d-glucose, 2-METHYL-2-BUTENAL.

galactose

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung

glucose

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung

1-O-feruloyl-beta-D-glucose

1. Dr. Duke

1-o-p-coumaroyl-beta-d-glucose

1. Dr. Duke

2-METHYL-2-BUTENAL

1. Dr. Duke

2-METHYL-2-PENTENAL

1. Dr. Duke

3,5-Diethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane

1. Dr. Duke

ALLYL MERCAPTAN

1. Dr. Duke

Allithiamine

1. Dr. Duke

Allyl disulfide

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Allium schoenoprasum has 528 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor, Acantholytic.

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acantholytic

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Allium schoenoprasum has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cancers, kidney diseases.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Micrococcus luteus

1. Zhonghua Minguo wei sheng wu ji mian yi xue za zhi = Chinese journal of microbiology and immunology

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Zhonghua Minguo wei sheng wu ji mian yi xue za zhi = Chinese journal of microbiology and immunology

Cancers

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Kidney diseases

1. Current drug metabolism