India, Uttarakhand: Chamoli, rocky areas (altitude 3000–4800 m), 22 Aug. 2019, KMR/AS/02/19 (Holotype: NHCP; Isotype: CAL; Seeds conserved in the National Genebank, New Delhi: IC258493).

Herbs, hermaphrodite, 27–50 cm tall. Rhizome condensed, 6.5–8.5 mm long, oblique. Bulb clustered, cylindric to narrowly ovoid, 0.8–1.2 cm in diameter, 6.8–12 cm long, outer tunic finely reticulate, reddish-dark brown, inner membranous, light-brick red. Leaves 4–6, slightly shorter than scape, 12–40 cm × 1.0–3.2 mm, erect, to semi-terete to terete, dark green; base slightly bulbous. Scape terete, semi-erect, covered with leaf sheaths at base only, stout, solid in cross-section (hollow in mature), 15–30 cm × 3.5–5.5 mm. Spathe 1-valved, persistent, beak very narrow-long, 2.5–4 mm. Inflorescence umbellate, hemispheric, 30–40 lax flowered. Peduncle subequal, 16–18 × 2–3 mm, without bulbils. Flowers bisexual, perigone campanulate, tepals dark purple with distinct green mid-line; inner tepals slightly longer than outer ones, oblong-lanceolate, apex acute, 6–8 × 3–4 mm; outer segments ovate to narrowly so, 5.5–6 × 2.5–3 mm. Stamens anthers oblong, yellow-purplish (on maturity), 2.3–2.6 mm long; filaments subequal, 6.8–8.5 mm, purple, slightly exserted, connate at base and adnate to perigone segments; outer ones subulate; inner ones broadened for 1/2–1/4 to their length, one sharp toothed on each side. Ovary sub-globose, purple-tinged, 3.6–4.8 × 1.8–3.5 mm. Style terete, exserted, stigma smooth, acute-acuminate, ovules 2 per locule. Capsules trigonous, 5–5.5 × 5.8–7.2 mm; seeds obovate with a prominent notch on one side, 3.2–4.0 × 1.9–1.9 mm, testa deep black. Plant has strong onion-garlic type aroma.

Figure 2. 

Holotype specimen of Allium negianum deposited in NHCP.

Slopes, sandy soils along rivers and streams along the alpine meadows (altitude 3000–4800 m asl) in Sumna valley (villages Gamsali, Niti, Tolma, Kailashpur and Farkya) in Chamoli district near Malari glacier of India.

The specific epithet, “negianum”, is named in honour of Late Dr. Kuldeep Singh Negi, an eminent explorer who has dedicated his life in collection of indigenous Allium species germplasm along with associated indigenous knowledge across the country. He was also instrumental in establishing the Allium Field Gene Bank (FGB) at the Regional Station, Bhowali, Uttarakhand. The entire germplasm of indigenous Allium species collected by him from remote areas of the country are characterized and successfully conserved at Allium FGB, Bhowali, Uttarakhand.

Pharan, phran, jambu, sakua, sungdung, kacho, etc. (Pandey et al. 2021).

Flowering and fruiting is from June to middle September (altitude 3000–4800 m a.s.l.).

The transverse section of the leaf of A. negianum showed an elliptical outline. The epidermis has small cells covered with a thin cuticle layer, and stomata are narrowly distributed along the surface area. Single layered compactly arranged palisade tissue comprised of long cylindrical cells. The mesophyll cells are spongy tissue and compact in young leaf as well in the proximal ends of mature leaf while in the centre part of mature leaf, broken mesophyll cells are confused with fistulous leaf appearance; 10–12 vascular bundles are arranged along with the palisade tissue across the entire circumference (Fig. 1F).

Seed characters and testa sculptures represents a good taxonomic character in Allium (Neshati and Fritsch 2009; Celep et al. 2012; Lin and Tan 2017). Apparently, the seeds of the newly described species were marginally bigger than the related taxon, A. przewalskianum. Baasanmunkh et al. (2020) have discussed on the seed testa structure and its taxonomic implication for taxa of the subg. Rhizirideum. The seed size in A. negianum (Fig. 1I) measured 3.2–4.0 × 1.9–1.9 mm in contrast to 2.7–2.9 × 1.5–1.5 mm in the later taxon (Fig. 1I). The seeds of A. negianum are obovate in shape with a prominent notch on one side, gradually concave from edge to centre, with deep black and wrinkled testa.

The testa cell shape was irregularly hexagonal-pentagonal, loose with clear meshes of reticulated tissue. The anticlinal walls are usually raised, prominently small to intermediate granulose verrucae. The periclinal cells wall has several verrucae with irregular depressions. Study indicated that in subg. Rhizirideum testa cell shape varied from oval to irregular or oval to hemispherical; and seed length 1.30–2.35 mm, anticlinal wall were distinguished by nearly S type to straight and periclinal wall was flat to nearly convex with densely granulated verrucae (Baasanmunkh et al. 2020). A. przewalskianum was distinguished by irregular testa cells in a loose arrangement with reticulated tissue, straight to arched anticlinal walls, and concave periclinal walls with small to intermediate verrucae and granules (Lin and Tan 2017).

The sect. Eduardia of the subg. Rhizirideum is distributed in the southern most range of the Himalayan region of India extending to China which is the centre of diversification. Allium negianum is a species recorded from the southernmost transitional zone between India and China. The distribution of A. negianum is restricted to the phytogeographical region of western Himalaya from Sumna valley, Malari, Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, in western Himalaya, India where it commonly occurs along the open grassy meadows, sandy soils along rivers and streams occurring in the snow pasture lands along the alpine meadows (locally known as ‘bugyal’ or ‘bugial’) between 3000–4800 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1A; Fig. 3) in synanthropic habitats. It was reported growing as wild population in Darma valley of Pithoragarh, along Gori Ganga (also Gori Gad) river in the Munsiyari, Pithoragarh district, in Milam Glacier, in northeast of Nanda Devi, Uttarakhand, India. The seeds flowing with the melting snow led to its broader spread in the areas with good regeneration reported by the authors (Fig. 1A). Hence the taxon may be considered endemic in the area of study. Indiscriminate harvest of leaves and bulbs used for ‘seasoning’ purposes has threatened its wild population.

The first report on large scale cultivation of this taxon in Niti valley, Uttarakhand, as ‘seasoning allium spice’ called ‘jambu’ and ‘phran’ has been published (Pandey et al. 2021). Though the taxon was reported commonly under cultivation, the authors have observed the wild populations primarily from the above ‘type’ locality. The authors could not trace large scale cultivation of another taxon, A. stracheyi (used for same purpose and known by same local name) in the described locality in Uttarakhand (Pandey et al. 2021). Considering that A. stracheyi was a rare species reported from wild habitats in Uttarakhand Himalaya, the authors assume that the reports by Kuniyal and Negi (2018) on large scale cultivation may be referring to this newly described taxon which is also known by the same local name. Unfortunately, earlier studies on A. stracheyi did not provide any locality details, nor were the voucher specimens deposited in any herbaria of the material used in their study. Therefore, validation of the taxonomic identity could not be ascertained. Also, there is no occurrence record of the taxa belonging to subg. Rhizirideum from Uttarakhand, India.

(Paratypes). Allium przewalskianum: India. Himachal Pradesh. Spiti, Takcha 25 Jul. 1972 U.C. Bhattacharya 48815 (BSD); Tobo, Kinnaur, Lahul & Spity, 15 Sept. 2007, V.D. Verma & Ramchander (NHCP); Jammu & Kashmir. Ladakh, 25 July 1941, Ludlow & Sheriff8529 (BM); 8 Sep.1941, Ludlow & Sheriff8571 (BM); Ganglas, 1 Aug. 1988, H.J.Chowdhury & B.P.Uniyal 86043 (BSD); 1880, Aitchinson376 (CAL); Kashmir. Nubra, 24 July 1980, A.R. Naqshi & G.N. Dhar7370 under A. stracheyi; Leh (J&K), 8 Sept. 2014, K. Pradheep & P.S. Mehta1733 (NHCP); Leh (J&K), Nov. 2014, K.Pradheep HS21817 (NHCP); Pangu lake, Luthum village, Leh (4500 m), s.s. Malik & D. Gautam15298 (NHCP); Uttarakhand. Malari, Chamoli, 10 Sept. 2019, Badal Singh & K.Madhav RaiHS24013 (NHCP); Allium auriculatum: Uttarakhand: Brahmmathya, district Chamoli, August 1988, K.S.Negi & M.N.Kopper 9387 (NHCP).

A. stoliczki: Ladakh, Khaedubgla, 18 Aug. 1982, P.K.Hazra98623(K), 1985, Jacquemont V. Type (K); T. Thomson, Type (K); China, 1 Jan. 1872, Przewalski N.M., #s.n., Type (P); 01 Jan. 1884, Przewalski N.M., Type (P, K); 1872–1873, Przewalski N.M., #s.n., Type (G).

There are no records on the availability of this new taxon from Uttarakhand (Dasgupta 2006). Shah (2014) has raised doubts on reported cultivation of A. przewalskianum in Uttarakhand by Negi (2006). Also recorded data on the occurrence of allied taxon under A. przewalskianum from Gori, Kumaon, Uttarakhand (dated 16 June 2005) and Gori, Martoli, Uttarakhand (7 Oct. 2004) during the study of a total of 413 specimens in the GBIF database need critical study.

Allium negianum was previously mistaken for identity as A. stracheyi as noted in the published records from India. Despite no morphological similarity with the latter taxon, Kuniyal and Negi (2018) referred ‘phran’ as A. stracheyi. In literature, it was also referred as A. auriculatum and A. przewalskianum due to morphologically similarity of the outer tunics (Pandey et al. 2021). However, the present study demonstrated that A. negianum is clearly distinguished from A. przewalskianum and A. stracheyi, particularly characters of the bulb tunic color when fresh, umbel, teeth in filament and perigone size and color (Fig. 1B–H; Table 1). Allium negianum is diploid (2n = 2x = 16) (data not produced), whereas A. przewalskianum is reported to be tetraploid (2n = 4x = 32) as well as diploid with no stated morphological variation except the stout habit. Authors noted that A. negianum has robust plant habit, stronger plant aroma in wild habitat as compared to plants growing under cultivation. In contrast, the related taxon of the subg. Rhizirideum is currently distributed in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and adjoining parts in Nepal. A. negianum is reported from areas of Uttarakhand and only known from the type locality (altitude 3200–4800 m a.s.l.) and has never been collected from elsewhere in India and other parts of the world. Therefore A. negianum is said to be localized in distribution.

Upon critical examination of specimen of A. auriculatum deposited in the NHCP, all plant characters were found to be closer to A. negianum. Four specimens of this taxon were noted in label data as frequently growing on flat rocks in Brahmmathya, district Chamoli (3800 m asl.), Uttarakhand, used as leaves cooked as a vegetable.

Allium negianum is morphologically allied to a Chinese species A. eduardi Stearn that occurs on the dry slopes and plains in the adjoining regions of Mongolia and Russia and shares characters of spathe beak size, hemispherical umbel and perigone shape, but differs in having yellowish-brown bulb tunic color, tepal apex with a reflexed point and shorter stamen teeth length.