Tulbaghia (wild garlic[2] or society garlic) is a genus of monocotyledonous herbaceous perennial bulbs native to Africa,[1] belonging to the amaryllis family. It is one of only two known genera in the society garlic tribe within the onion subfamily.[3] The genus was named for Ryk Tulbagh (1699–1771), one time governor of The Cape of Good Hope.[4]
| Society garlic | |
|---|---|
| Tulbaghia violacea | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Tribe: | Tulbaghieae |
| Genus: | Tulbaghia L. 1771, conserved name not Heister 1755 |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Omentaria Salisb. | |

Most species are native to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. As is common to many members of the Allioideae, when their leaves are bruised they produce a distinct garlic smell, hence its common name. The flowers are borne in an umbel. Each flower has six narrow tepals. A characteristic of the genus is that there is a "corona" – a raised crown-like structure – at the centre of the flower. This may be small and scale-like or may be larger, somewhat like the trumpet of a small narcissus.[5]
A few names have been coined using the name Tulbaghia, but applied to species now considered better suited to the genus Agapanthus.
| Taxon identifiers |
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