Garlic (Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive,[2] Welsh onion and Chinese onion.[3] It is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use.[4][5] It was known to ancient Egyptians and has been used as both a food flavoring and a traditional medicine.[6][7] China produces some 80% of the world’s supply of garlic.[8][9]
The word garlic derives from Old English, garlēac, meaning gar (spear) and leek, as a ‘spear-shaped leek’.[10]
Allium sativum is a perennial flowering plant growing from a bulb. It has a tall, erect flowering stem that grows up to 1 m (3 ft). The leaf blade is flat, linear, solid, and approximately 1.25–2.5 cm (0.5–1.0 in) wide, with an acute apex. The plant may produce pink to purple flowers from July to September in the Northern Hemisphere. The bulb is odoriferous and contains outer layers of thin sheathing leaves surrounding an inner sheath that encloses the clove. Often the bulb contains 10 to 20 cloves that are asymmetric in shape, except for those closest to the center.[6] If garlic is planted at the proper time and depth, it can be grown as far north as Alaska.[11] It produces hermaphrodite flowers. It is pollinated by bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects.[12]
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