Allium thunbergii, Thunberg's chive Thunberg garlic or sanbuchu, is an East Asian species of wild onion native to Japan (incl Bonin + Ryukyu Islands), Korea, and China (incl. Taiwan).Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families It grows at elevations up to 3000 m. The Flora of China recognizes A. tunbergii and A. stenodon as separate species, but more recent sources combine the two.Flora of China v 24 p 197, Allium thunbergiiFlora of China v 24 p 179, Allium stenodonOhwi, J. (1984). Flora of Japan (in English): 1-1067. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.Kobayashi, S. & Ono, M. (1987). A Revised List of Vascular Plants Indigenous and Introduced to the Bonin (Ogasawara) and the Volcano (Kazan) Islands. Ogasawara Research 13: 1-55.
Allium thunbergii produces one or two egg-shaped bulbs up to 20 mm in diameter. Scapes are up to 50 cm tall. Leaves are longer than the scape, hollow, triangular in cross-section. Umbels are crowded with many red or purple flowers.Don, George. 1827. Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society 6: 84.Nakai, Takenoshin & Kitagawa, Masao. 1934. Report of the First Scientific Expedition to Manchoukou 4(1): 18, pl. 6., as Allium stenodonLiu, Tang Shui & Ying, Shao Shun. 1978. Flora of Taiwan 5: 45P.P.Gritsenko. 1979. Byull. Vses. Ord. Lenina Inst. Rast. N.I. Vavilova 96: 23line drawing of Allium thunbergii, Flora of China Illustrations vol. 24, fig. 221, 1–4
The specific epithet thunbergii references the Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Varieties Allium thunbergii var. deltoides (S.O.Yu, S.Lee & W.T.Lee) H.J.Choi & B.U.Oh - Gayasan National Park in Korea Allium thunbergii var. teretifolium H.J.Choi & B.U.Oh - Korea Allium thunbergii var. thunbergii - China, Japan, Korea
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