It does spread into a carpet on the woodland floor.

Allium ursinum NS5858 13May2015 PW

The leaves are also distinctive with linear veins and smelling of garlic.

Allium ursinum NS7356 21Apr18 PW

The flower head is initially wrapped in a membrane.

Allium ursinum NS7356 21Apr18 PW

Allium ursinum NS5858 13May2015 PW

Note the bulbils which allow this to spread vegetatively.

Allium ursinum NS5858 13May2015 PW

After the flower there are distinctive fruits.

Allium ursinum NS6756 7June2019 PW

The fruits fall to the ground and can be seen on top of the soil after the summer and the plant has died away.

Allium ursinum NS6958 21Sep PW

Allium paradoxum NS8248 13Apr2017 MP

Allium paradoxum NS6860 31Mar2019 MP

Allium paradoxum NS7356 21Apr18 PW

Allium vineale 8Aug2017 NS6860

Allium scorodoprasum 3Jul2013 NS6859 PW

This was taken during a recording session led by Dr Peter Macpherson the BSBI Recorder for VC77 until his death in 2015.

Allium scorodoprasum 3Jul2013 NS6859 PW

Allium carinatum NS5667 12Aug2018 FM

Allium carinatum NS6958 04Aug2019 MP

Allium nigrum NS5766 18June2020 PW

Allium schoenoprasum NS 7467 28Aug2019 PW

Allium schoenoprasum NS5765 20June2020 PW

Allium schoenoprasum NS 7467 28Aug2019 PW

Allium species - Garlics, Field Leek and Ramsons

Allium ursinum, Ramsons or Wild Garlic, is a common plant of woodland and the flowers are unmistakable. The broad leaves are distinctive and smell of garlic. At the end of the season, the seeds can be found scattered on the ground - crush one and smell the garlic!

Allium paradoxum, Few-flowered Leek is the next most common plant especially as a garden escape. It spreads vegetatively from bulbils and can form huge colonies, especially on riverbanks.

The following are all much less common in Lanarkshire, but each is quite distinctive: Allium vineale, Wild Onion, with its broad, papery bracts below the flowerhead; Allium scorodoprasum, Sand Leek, with its tight cluster of flowers; and Allium carinatum, Keeled Garlic, with its long style protruding from the flowers.

Some members of this family readily become established as garden escapes: Allium nigrum Broad-leaved Leek and Allium schoenoprasum Chives.